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An Empirical Analysis of Flight Ticket Purchasing Behavior: Determining Generation Y's Level of Involvement for Different Network Strategies
Type
conference paper
Date Issued
2019
Author(s)
Abstract (De)
The purpose of this paper is to determine the level of product involvement for the purchase of flight tickets and how it is influenced by network strategies. The involvement construct is vital to understanding the decision-making process and helps airlines tailoring their strategy. To contribute to this area of research, we surveyed a representative sample of 520 Swiss citizens born between 1982 and 2002. Participants were presented with two scenarios designed to measure their level of product involvement. In the first scenario, we asked respondents questions relating to the purchase of a direct flight. In the second scenario, we asked respondents the same set of questions, but relating to the purchase of a connecting flight. The results reveal that the level of product involvement is significantly higher for direct flights than for connecting flights. This translates into a more extensive and detailed information search. This also suggests a higher relevance of direct flights for consumers based on their needs, values, and interests. This differentiation can be used to enhance an airline’s marketing strategy and in the long-term, improve customer loyalty. Airlines find themselves at a pivotal point regarding demand. Generation Y entered the workforce with an estimated $600 billion at its disposal annually. Yet, very little is known about its purchasing behavior. As these customers are forming lifelong habits, it is crucial to gain a better understanding of their behavior today to ensure a loyal customer base tomorrow. From a research standpoint, these results contribute to forming a basis for future research on generation Y's travel behavior.
Language
English
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
HSG Profile Area
None
Event Title
ATRS 23rd World Conference
Event Location
Amsterdam
Event Date
2-5 July 2019
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
258625