Servicescape and customer behavioral intentions – A study in the aviation sector

Abstract

This study aims to identify the servicescape factors that influence behavior intention through passengers' emotions in the aviation sector.. Based on the S-O-R (Stimulus-Organism-Response) theoretical framework and a review of prior research, the authors proposed a suitable research model and tested it through a survey of 300 customers who had experienced services at an airport using convenience sampling. Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) techniques, the results indicate that the factors of the servicescape, including spatial, aesthetic, safety, and social aspects, significantly impact the formation of customer emotions, both positive and negative. These emotions contribute to shaping their future behavioral intentions. Thus, the study's findings further affirm the role of the S-O-R theory in explaining the stimulation mechanisms of the service space to shape customer behavior in the context of the aviation industry. Based on these findings, the study proposes several managerial implications, highlighting the need to invest in aspects of the servicescape at airports to gradually enhance customer behavioral intentions.