Discovering the potential impact of in-flight smart amenities on traveler experience: Focal roles of in-flight service quality and airline endorsement

Document Type : Original Article

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The Higher Institute for Tourism and Hotels - El Seyouf – Alexandria

Abstract

Although the direct impact of in-flight smart amenities available on passenger experience has been examined, there is ambiguity in this association that is not well explained. As such, the service quality provided and traveler endorsement of a particular airline over another may play crucial roles in explaining the inherent relationship between smart amenities and creating an immersive experience for air travelers. In this regard, 487 potential travelers were obtained via Egyptian Airlines, whether outside or coming to Egypt. SmartPLS 4 results revealed that intelligent seats, smart overhead bins, and an in-flight entertainment system significantly affected service quality on board. Besides, in-flight service quality positively affected traveler experience. Furthermore, in-flight service quality partially mediated the association between intelligent seats and traveler experience, while fully mediated the linkages between traveler experience and both smart overhead bins and in-flight entertainment system. Lastly, airline endorsement strengthened the positive association between in-flight service quality and traveler experience in favor of the EgyptAir sample. This paper highlights the effective contributions of decision-makers in the tourism and travel industry regarding the possibility of developing airlines for travelers, whether for business or leisure, as well as equipping aircraft with emerging technologies such as IoT-enabled smart glasses and metaverse-enabled travel apps.

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