INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT STUDIES Vol: 13 No: 1 Year: 2021 ISSN: 1309-8047 (Online) (pp. 1-21) Doi: 10.48080/ijbms.20210101 Received: 21.10.2020 | Accepted: 15.03.2021 | Published Online: 01.04.2021 -RESEARCH ARTICLE- AIRLINE PREFERENCE AND CHOICE FACTORS IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN DOMESTIC PASSENGER MARKET: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY N. Fuyane* Mangosuthu University of Technology P.O. Box 12363, Jacobs, 4026 Durban, RSA E-mail:
[email protected] /
[email protected] https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4768-7802 M.E. Xaba Mangosuthu University of Technology P.O. Box 12363, Jacobs, 4026 Durban, RSA E-mail:
[email protected] https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5076-0564 M.M. Sikwela Mangosuthu University of Technology P.O. Box 12363, Jacobs, 4026 Durban, RSA E-mail:
[email protected] https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9167-3232 ─Abstract─ For airlines to deliver quality services, they must understand customers’ expectations. However, the variations of airline service attribute lists in the available literature suggests a lack of consensus among industry players (airline managers, travel agency managers and airline customers) regarding what constitutes a quality airline service. From a marketing concept point of view, the customer's perspective should inform the design and delivery of airline services. Based on this view, this paper seeks to identify the most important airline service attributes that influence airline preference and choice. A survey is conducted using a questionnaire with fifty-five airline service items. Respondents are asked to rate the importance of these items on a five-point Likert scale. Collected data are subjected to an exploratory factor analysis, which retains ten latent Citation (APA): Fuyane, N., Xaba, M.