ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 13, 2020 THE ’S WORKFORCES THAT REFLECTING SERVICE QUALITY: A PASSENGER’S PERSPECTIVE Kanittha Charernnit1, Kannapat Kankaew2

1Lecturer in Department of Airline Business, International College, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University 2Asst. Prof. in Department of Airline Business, International College, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University

E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]

Received: 14 March 2020 Revised and Accepted: 8 July 2020

ABSTRACT: One of the key success factors of service firm are the workforces who interacting and delivering services beyond customer expectation. These people could make a memorable experience to customer and become an advocate customer. This research purpose is to examine the airport service quality focusing on the airport workforces’ competencies from the passengers’ perspective at Don Mueang (DMK), . The quantitative was conducted by using structural equation modelling (SEM) to confirm the causal relation of the workforces’ competencies toward the passenger satisfaction. The data collected by administering 400 questionnaires of passenger traveling through DMK. The result ranked from highest to lowest were the grooming and personality of the airport staff, the courtesy and willing to help passenger, and the airport provides enough workforces to assist passengers. Hence, the airport should take into account the importance of the first impression from grooming and personality of its employees, and the socialization the employees at every level specifically, the frontline staff. In the meantime, the work scheduling management of airport’s employees should be fit with the flights operating and demand using the airport.

KEYWORDS: Airport’s workforces, Service quality, Passenger’s satisfaction

I. INTRODUCTION

Thailand, geographically, is the best location to be the main hub in . As refers to [1] mentioned the growth number of passengers travelling to Southeast Asia where the main airport hub is Singapore Changi, the second place is Kuala Lumpur Airport, which the government has accelerated as a hub for both passengers and goods. The third is the Airport of Thailand. For the Southeast Asia region, Thailand has the best geographical location to be a regional aviation hub. Having the good airport is beneficial to the country and people. Since, the airport is directly or indirectly affected employment opportunity. The direct employment is from airlines and businesses operating in . Whereas, the indirect employment came from the related businesses to air transportation. This opportunity will affect the economy by helping people to have more purchasing power and resulting in the government being able to collect more taxes. If any city has an airport that is fully equipped with various facilities, it will not only affect employment, it will also benefit from the tourism industry, the exhibition and conference service businesses too [2-3]. In Thailand, Suvarnabhumi Airport is considered to be the main airport which is congested because it supports the number of passengers that grow beyond its capacity. The cabinet resolution, therefore, approves Don Mueang Airport (DMK) is an airport supporting low-cost airlines, domestic, and point-to-point international routes in October 01, 2012. After DMK was operated for a few years the number of flights and passengers rose steadily. DMK was the low-cost airport where there were highest number of users in the world. So that, the airport of Thailand has decided to expand the second terminal by December 2016 to accommodate the passengers. The strategic point is providing the airport full service which is different from other low-cost airports. Besides, the full spectrum of services that would make DMK unique from other low-cost airports. The service quality could not be ignored, especially the frontline airport’s employees who meet and interact the airport users. Thus, this study aims to assess the passenger view point towards the airport workforces that would enhance the airport’s service quality. Since, the sophisticated airports are not only allowing convenient access, but also being an image of the country and represent art and culture. Moreover, it could make the first impression arriving passengers.

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ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 13, 2020 II. THE AIM OF STUDY

This study aims to assess the passenger view point towards the airport workforces that would enhance the airport’s service quality.

III. METHODOLOGY

The quantitative method was applied by using SPSS for a descriptive analysis, and structural equation modelling (SEM) to analyze the causal relationship of the airport’s workforces’ competencies that would satisfy the airport’s users. The fitness index was tested; including Chi square <5.00, GFI > 0.96, NFI RFI, CFI and RMSEA <0.087. ≥ 0.98, ≥ 0.95 ≥ 0.97. The questionnaires were used to collect the data, with the reliability pretest of Cronbach’s Alpha is 0.95. The sampling were 400 DMK users comprised of 130 second year students who have learned the airport management, and experienced traveling through DMK, and 270 passengers.

IV. LITERATURE REVIEW

Besides, the airport is well-represent country’s arts & culture that created the first impression or dissatisfaction to the user. It is a place where air travelers, bags and cargo change type of transportation from air to ground and ground to air vice versa. According to [4] identifies that airports are vital connection between flights and the markets. So, the provision of airports and ground services are mandatory for the growth of airline industry. As above mentioned, the airport not only supports the job employment instead it effects to the whole economic of the country. This is one of the main important issues that many nations want to become a hub in its region. So that, many airport operators have pushed all effort providing modern, full spectrum of facilities, and customer assistant. However, [5] suggested that the airport operator should consider different type of the airport users such as; domestic passengers are not required passport and customs control whereas international passenger do. In the meantime, the business and commercially important passengers (CIP) wish to use special amenities, or passenger with reduced mobility require special assistance. However, according to [3] in the modern world the airport has less monopoly power, due to deregulation allow emerging airlines manage and select the airport to fit with their operations. The airline alliances, low cost carriers have arisen the views on airport competition. So, there is the competition between airports and within airport groups. Today, the airport has become more proactive to develop a range of techniques to meet the needs and demand of mix clients (passengers, airlines, freight forwarders, tour operators, hotels etc.,). Many airports have sought to attract new customers through marketing strategies. The marketing strategies and tactics were implemented, for instance relationship marketing, e-marketing, and social media. Where, the airport product has both tangible and intangible for instance; airside infrastructure, and airport services to meet the users’ needs. Thought, the airport products are quite the same. Then, the high-quality services could make it distinctive from other airports. For better services, the airport operator needs to understand macroenvironment and microenvironment. As [6] disclosed the component of microenvironment including; suppliers, customers, and the organization that boost to sell, promote and distribute the product to customers. While, the macroenvironment concerns with economic, socio-cultural, technology, and environmental. The socio-cultural consists of customers’ social factors such as, age, education, career, cultural, beliefs, and lifestyle. On the other hand, technology can help the airport improving its quality and innovation which allow the users to encounter a new and comfortable experiences. Somehow, from the researcher perspective the airport service staffs most crucial for the users assist in any issues they may face. Unfortunately, various researchers studied the airport service quality in terms of airline’s ground services instead of the airports’ workforces. Such as, [7] has studied the lounge attendant’s competency of private airline. The result revealed five competencies that have impact on the service quality including; efficiency, helpfulness, appearance, knowledge, and communication skills. [8] cited the importance of airport’s service quality which become corporate strategy for the competitive advantages, as well as it has the impact on tourism industry. The researcher revealed five main factors affecting airport service quality. Those were check-in, security, convenience, facilities of the airport, and mobility. While, there were two sub-issues concerning with the airport workforces those were the courtesy and helpfulness of airport staff and security staff. For [9] applied the model of Fodness and Murray, SERVQAUL, and kano model to study the airport quality. The results disclosed the gap between passengers’ perspective and airport management on the flow of passengers, and the operating system. Insomuch as, [10] evaluated the airport service quality for the airlines by applying SERVQUAL model, in terms of tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy. The airport’s workforces were mention in the competence of experience, courtesy, knowledge of English, willingness to assist, and the airport assigned enough staff for airlines. [11] found the important issues to satisfy the airport users were cleanliness, and the ambient of the airport environment. According to the model of [12] the airport service quality that was widely used. There is the airport service personnel dimension to be evaluated in three area including; attitudes, behaviors, and expertise. In contrast,

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ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 13, 2020 there are few studies focusing on the competence of the airport workforce has been assess from the passengers’ point of view relating to their satisfaction.

V. RESULT

The majority of respondents aging around 30-35 year-old accounted for 25 percent, and work as government official and having their own business 27 per cent equally. There were female 53 per cent and male 43 per cent, whereas there were LGBT 4 per cent. The key informants’ perspective on the airport service quality based on Fodness and Murray model shown that the highest factors affecting the airport service is the service personnel, servicescape, and the service respectively as shown in table 1.

Table 1. The factors affecting airport’s service Fodness & Murray 3 dimension Mean SD Description Service personnel 4.02 .432 High Servicescape 3.95 .431 High Services 3.83 .446 High Total 3.93 .296 High

The passenger highlighted the importance of the courtesy and willingness to help of the ranked number one, the second is the courtesy and willingness to help of airport staff, and the third is grooming and personality, while the fourth and fifth are the airport provide enough staff to assist customer when needed, and the airport staff greeting with smile and cheerful. The mean scores were 4.13, 4.06, 4.04, 4.01, and 3.96 accordingly.

Hence, the structural equation modelling was used to test the casual relation of the descriptive result as above mentioned. This is to confirm the causal model related to passenger satisfaction. The goodness of fit analysis was done as demonstrated in table 2.

Table 2 Goodness of fit analysis of confirmatory factor analysis Acceptance level Goodness of fit index Acceptance level Goodness of fit index

X2(CMIN) 313.705 AGFI > 0.8∼0.9 .995 d.f 9 CFI > 0.9 1.00 p .000 RMSEA < 0.05-0.08 .000 CMIN/ d.f < 3 .302 RMR < 0.05∼0.08 .004 GFI > 0.8∼0.9 .999

The result of causal factors to passengers’ satisfaction was explained in table 3.

Table 3 Results of causal factors to passengers’ satisfaction Servicescape Standardized Non S.E. C.R. SMC estimate standardized estimate The courtesy and willingness to .837 1.963 .268 7.326*** .700 help of the airport security The courtesy and willingness to .704 1.596 .219 7.301*** .496 help of airport staff The grooming and personality of .516 1.305 .202 6.466*** .266 airport’s staff The airport provides enough staff .420 1.000 .152 4.707*** .177 to assist customer when needed The airport staff greeting with .308 .775 .165 2.900*** .095 smile and cheerful *** < 0.001

From table 3 confirmed that the factors affecting the passenger satisfaction were; the courtesy and willingness to help of the airport security with the effect is β = 0.837, C.R. = 7.362 (p <0.001) with the significant statistic level of explanation 70%, the courtesy and willingness to help of airport staff is β = 0.704, C.R. = 7.301 (p <0.001) with the significant statistic level of explanation 49.6%, the grooming and personality 2041

ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 13, 2020 of the airport’s staff effect is β = 0.516, C.R. = 6.466 (p <0.001) with the significant statistic level of explanation 26.6%, the airport provides enough staff to assist customer when needed with the effect of β = 0.420, C.R. = 4.707 (p <0.001) and the significant statistic level of explanation 17.%, and the airport staff greeting with smile and cheerful has the effect of β = 0.308, C.R. = 2.900 (p <0.001) with the significant statistic level of explanation 9.5% reciprocally.

VI. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

In summarization, the factor most affecting to passenger satisfaction on the airport service quality is the courtesy and willingness to help of the airport security. This is because the processes and procedures of the airport security are complex. It might cause the airport users stress and reduce to travel by air. According to [13] mentioned that the airport security system is complex that reduce passenger’s freedom, and affecting to economy. So that, the airport operator should train and develop security staff treating people nicely even those who are suspicious passengers. In general, most of the travelers have no intention to jeopardize the aviation or other person. The second factor is the courtesy and willingness to help of airport staff. It is because of the airport environment with high volume of traffic, congested and numerous people might cause the first-time users lost their way and confusing. The helpfulness of the airport workforces, then, is very much pleasure to the passengers. In addition, the grooming and personality, and the availability of the airport to help the airport users could make the first impression to them. Thus, the recommendation from this study is the airport operator should recruit carefully for the frontline workforces. The recruitment process should apply the competency- based approaches that making the person fit to the position and organizational culture. The extensive training for security officer for noticing and behavior observation of suspicious customer. As well as, the customer service training is mandatory in order to be competitiveness.

VII. REFERENCES

[1]. Keith T., Barend F., Denis H. (2009). Air Connectivity in Archipelagic Southeast Asia: an Overview. Asian Development Bank. Philippines. [2]. 2. Young, B. S., Wells, T. A. (2011). Airport Planning & Management. (6th ed.) Singapore: McGrawHill. [3]. Graham, A. (2014). Managing Airports: An International Perspective. NY: Routledge. [4]. Sales, M. (2013). The Air Logistics Handbook: Air Freight and the global supply chain. London: Routledge. [5]. 5. Neufvill, D. R., Odoni, A. (2013). Airport Systems: Planning, Design, and Management (2nd ed.). Singapore: McGrawHill. [6]. 6. Halpern, L., Graham, A. (2013). Airport Marketing. London: Routledge. [7]. 7. Cholkongka, N. (2019). Identification of service quality competency framework for the lounge attendants: A case study of a privately-owned airline in Thailand. ABAC Journal, 39(4), 123-150. [8]. 8. Kratudnak, S., & Tippayawong, K. Y. (2018). Analysis of key factors for airport service quality: A case study of three regional airports in Thailand. Proceedings of the International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management, Bandung, Indonesia. [9]. 9. Kurniawan, R., Sebhatu, P. S., & Davoudi, S. (2017). Passengers’ perspective toward airport service quality (ASQ) (Case study at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport). Journal of the Civil Engineering Forum, 3(1), 21-32. [10]. 10. Pabedinskaite, A., & Akstinaite, V. (2014). Evaluation of the airport service quality. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 110, 398-409. [11]. 11. Bogicevic, V., Yang, W., Bilgihan, A., & Bujisic, M. (2013). Airport service quality drivers of passenger satisfaction. Tourism Review, 68(4), 3-16. [12]. 12. Fodness, D., & Murray, B. (2007). Passengers’ expectations of airport service quality Journal of Service Marketing, 21(7), 492-506. [13]. 13. Coskun, E., & Hoey, J. (2005). Airport security complexity: Problems with the information system components. Proceeding of the 2nd International ISCRAM Conference, Brussels, Belgium.

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