Satisfaction Based on Flight Related Services

large tour operators generate.According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 80% of revenue is not generated through travel agents. revenue from tickets of all airlines.

1.1.2.1.4 Satisfaction based on flight related services

Schedule-related features of air services appear to be more important than convenience-based features in most markets, but they are not easily adjustable. In many cases, schedule-related features cannot be changed at all, either because the airline already has a network and schedule that meets market demand or because of external constraints such as bilateral air services agreements or a lack of runaway slots. However, as competition in the market becomes more intense, the need for service improvement is greater. In most cases, schedules can only be adjusted in the medium term, and if they are adjusted at all, service development tends to focus on improving convenience-based features, which is easy and quick to implement. There are three areas of air service that are important in determining passenger perceptions of convenience. The first area is the interior layout and shape of the aircraft. The shape and layout of the interior affect the width and pitch of each seat and therefore the amount of space between each passenger. This space is a key factor in creating comfort. Seat density and unit cost are inversely related: the more seats are arranged on an aircraft, the lower the operating cost per seat. Therefore, the decision on the number of seats on an aircraft is also related to costs. There are also a number of other interior layout factors that each airline should pay attention to because they have a strong impact on the basic quality of the service of the airline. These include the number of separate cabin and service types, the number of lavatories, the types of seats installed, the interior design and color of the aircraft, etc.

The second important area where all airlines have to make decisions is the standards of food and service on board flights. This area includes issues of quality and character of the food and beverages served on board,

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The planning of in-flight meals and ensuring that the prescribed food standards are met is a major undertaking. Again we see the relationship between cost and the standards of food and service on board. As a result, the composition of meals is calculated down to the exact weight of a pat of butter or a packet of gravy. While airlines place a lot of emphasis on the quality of food and drink in their advertising, gourmetism is not a factor that influences the passenger's decision to choose an airline for their travel. However, food standards, together with the quality and friendliness of the cabin crew, can create a certain image, which is important in the marketing of a particular airline.

Finally, the types of services provided to passengers on the ground are also a key element of airline service. Airlines need to consider whether to use their own staff or to outsource check-in and packing to another airline or a packaging agency. Airlines also need to consider how long the average waiting time for a passenger to check in will be, as this will determine the number of check-in desks per flight. More check-in desks mean more costs. Therefore, airlines need to determine the nature of special facilities on the ground for first and business class passengers, such as special lounges, office services, valet parking, or providing limousine services to take passengers from their homes or offices to the airport.

It is essential in the areas of comfort-based airline services that the differences between the services offered in different classes of service by the same airline be clearly visible to passengers. This means that airline service planners must specify the different features of comfort-based services for different market segments.

they are aiming for. Service characteristics do not only differ by cabin type or ticket type, but the same cabin type also requires different service characteristics for different routes or geographical areas. Therefore, business class services within Europe will not have exactly the same characteristics as business class services from Europe to Asia.

Because they are easier to regulate and advertise than schedule-based service features, amenity-based service features are increasingly being scrutinized and monitored. Airlines are constantly being forced to react to changes in their competitors' service offerings and even to be the first to introduce new innovations. As international regulations have become more relaxed, airlines have been able to offer better service improvements, and everyone has seen rapid growth in air travel. This growth is evidenced by the separation of business class into a separate third class on long-haul flights. In the early 1980s, business class was simply a section of the economy cabin for full-fare economy passengers. Then, in the second phase, business class had its own cabin, but the seat density in business class was not much higher than that of regular class, only the food quality was improved. In the third phase, the seat density in business class was wider, had longer seat walls, and was less dense. In many cases, such as Thai Airways International, they replaced the previous premium seats with flat-bed style seats. The next phase was the development of flourishing business products. This was the further expansion of the space for a passenger to the extent that it could fit flat-bed style seats in the premium cabins. Virgin Atlantic pioneered this trend in 1989 with its “Premium” service from London to New York and then to Tokyo. Thus, in about 10 years, there were 4 stages of product development for luxury passengers on long-haul flights. Meanwhile, British Airways of the UK

In early 1990, the airline introduced fourth-class service—called “Economy Select”—on its London-Gatwick to Dallas and Houston flights for an eight-month trial. Passengers who purchased a fourth-class all-inclusive ticket were able to choose their own cabin, check in separately, and get better seats than other passengers.

Thus, to complete an aviation service, an airline needs to go through four (4) stages: i) Product design (flight schedule, fare), ii) Marketing and image building, iii) Ticket sales through the distribution system and iv) Flight implementation and accompanying services. However, as presented above, improving service at all stages takes a lot of time and is very costly for all airlines. Therefore, research to improve customer service often focuses only on improving flight-related services, which is the fourth stage in the above value chain. This thesis also focuses only on studying the level of customer satisfaction based on satisfaction directly related to flights and accompanying services, on that basis, making recommendations on improving specific service quality to increase customer satisfaction in the fourth stage.

1.1.2.2 Quality of aviation services during flight execution (fourth link in the value chain)

Aviation services during the flight are made up of many processes. In each process, machinery, equipment and people play an important role in creating the quality of aviation services. However, in each process, the importance of machinery, equipment and people can be different. According to the supply process, aviation services are divided into two main groups: ground services and in-flight services.

1.1.2.2.1. Ground services

Ground services in aviation services include three main service groups: check-in services, airport services and boarding services (taking passengers from the airport to the plane). Check-in services include welcoming passengers at the airport, performing check-in procedures for passengers including procedures for economy class and business class passengers.

VIP guests, frequent flyers (belonging to VNA's Golden Lotus program) and check-in baggage and carry-on baggage. During the check-in process, the airline's staff is responsible for guiding guests back to the check-in counter if there is a problem with their carry-on baggage.

Airport services are determined from the time the customer completes check-in procedures and waits until boarding time. This service includes two groups. The first group is airport services for passengers. Details of this service include: assisting passengers at the border police, customs, security; notifying passengers to board the plane on time, accurately, guiding and picking up passengers to the hotel in case of flight delays or cancellations. In addition, airport services also include picking up and guiding passengers on international and domestic flights, ensuring that passengers go to the correct exit gate or enter the terminal according to regulations. Helping special passengers complete aviation, police, customs, security procedures on departure, arrival and transfer flights. In addition to these services, there are also value-added services such as waiting seats for economy passengers, food services, shopping, lounges for VIP and business passengers and telephone, postal, and internet access services.

The second group includes services related to lost baggage. Specific details include: searching for lost baggage for passengers, guiding passengers through baggage claim procedures, coordinating with airline representatives in handling compensation, preserving passenger baggage and assigned tools, preserving excess baggage at the baggage warehouse, handling unusual baggage arriving, departing and transferring to airlines using VNA's ground services, ensuring the search and provision of information on lost baggage to passengers.

Boarding service is defined from the time passengers are announced to board the plane until they are seated on the plane. This service mainly includes boarding passengers by tube or bus, and services for special passengers such as pregnant women, the elderly, and the disabled.

1.1.2.2.2. Air services

In-flight services are provided to passengers once they are on board the aircraft. These services include meals, newspapers and magazines, in-flight entertainment including video games, movies and in-flight amenities. These services are significantly differentiated between first class (or VIP), business class and economy class.

1.2. AVIATION SERVICE QUALITY MANAGEMENT

1.2.1. Service quality management

Service quality management is a concept that all business managers must pay attention to if they do not want their business competitiveness to decline. The goal of service quality management is to continuously improve service quality within the allowable cost range. The above section has presented service quality as a concept closely linked to "customer perception" and "customer expectation". Therefore, managing customer perception is of great significance in service quality management. Customer perception is usually mainly influenced by the assessment of functional quality. The main aspects that customers expect are the responsibility of the service provider, and the reliability of the service delivery process. In addition, customer perception is also greatly influenced by the level of sympathy of the service provider towards customers. Customers need to be assured that problems (if any) with the service will be thoroughly resolved. All of the above means that service providers need to build trust with their customers. This trust can be achieved through communication between both parties throughout the service process.

Quality management is also linked to the management of the service delivery process. According to Melville (1995) [23], the service delivery process can be divided into 5 steps as follows:

Agreement ---> Staffing ---> Training ---> Measurement --> Change Management

Step 1: Create agreements

The first step in the service delivery process is to define what the customer expects before the service is delivered. This is usually done through formal or implied service agreements. These agreements specify what the customer can expect and the terms of the service that the supplier will provide to the customer. Before these agreements can be made, it is necessary to determine who will receive these services. In other words, who are the customers of these services. Internal customers may include internal departments/units of the organization and managers and leaders of the company. External customers usually include those who are always defined as “service users”, who bring revenue to the business and other business partners. It is important to note that different customer groups may have different expectations. For airlines, customers are often understood as the group of “passengers”, the end users of airline services.

Once the target customer has been identified, a service agreement needs to be drawn up between the service provider and the customer. This agreement addresses issues such as how the service will be provided, at what level, what priority will be given, how much the service will cost, how payment will be made, and how the quality of the service will be measured. This also helps the service provider learn more about the customer’s needs, and helps the service provider identify and manage customer expectations. For example, if a passenger only wants to wait 60 seconds when calling the ticket office, staff and management will have to work together to meet this requirement within the budget.

Steps 2 and 3: Staffing and Training

Adequate staffing and training must be provided to meet the required level of service as agreed. Staff must meet the required technical

Professional skills combined with a customer-oriented attitude will meet the requirements of responsibility, trust and empathy with customers. The problem of human resources in service organizations is a big challenge today, because employees need to have both professional knowledge and communication skills. Currently, businesses have two approaches to human resources: some organizations use employees who already have professional knowledge and then train them in service. Others recruit employees who have good communication skills and have graduated from social sciences, then train them in the necessary professional skills. Regardless of which of the two approaches a business chooses, one thing that can be seen is that businesses have realized the importance of equipping their staff with both skills: professional knowledge and communication and customer care skills. The goal of organizations is to ensure that employees serve customers in the best way.

One way to achieve a combination of technical and customer skills is to rotate employees between departments in the service delivery process. This will give them an overview of both the service delivery process and the common customer problems. As employees move to different positions they often have a higher level of customer service awareness. This is important in the long run for a service organization.

Step 4: Measure quality

As discussed above, services are made up of two elements: technical quality and functional quality. Technical quality can be measured through industry standards, or “hard” data. However, passengers typically cannot judge the technical quality of a service, but rather focus on assessing the functional quality, typically through customer satisfaction surveys or similar solutions. This gives service providers the opportunity to manage customer perceptions (because good service is not important, but what customers feel is important).

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