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@article{208581,
        author = {Mr. Nkosilomusa Ncube},
        title = {INVESTIGATING AVIATION SERVICE EXCELLENCE IN-FLIGHT: A THEMATIC ANALYSIS OF PASSENGER EXPERIENCE AND QUALITY INDICATORS},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {13},
        number = {4},
        pages = {2288-2298},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=208581},
        abstract = {Service excellence is central to passenger loyalty, brand image and competitive advantage in a highly fragmented air-travel market. This paper revisits a qualitative inquiry into in-flight service excellence — built from textbook review, discussions with ten experienced flyers and ticket agents, and a detailed key informant with eight documented international and regional flights (2019–2024) — and restructures its thematic findings into a properly analysed, evidence-based research paper. Qualitative content was coded against the five SERVQUAL dimensions (tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy) and against two further practical groupings: obstacles to service delivery and the tangible/intangible nature of quality indicators. Twenty-six coded thematic mentions were distributed relatively evenly across the five SERVQUAL dimensions, with tangibles and reliability jointly accounting for the largest share (23.1% each) and assurance the smallest (15.4%). Ten distinct obstacles to service excellence were identified, dominated by operational and environmental constraints (40%). Fourteen quality indicators were identified, of which the majority (64.3%) were intangible, human-factor indicators rather than tangible cabin features. The key informant's recorded fares ranged from USD 300 to USD 1,450 across five priced itineraries, with price emerging as a recurring driver of airline choice. The paper concludes that service excellence is not static but must be dynamically planned, timed and continuously re-evaluated, and it recommends further comparative research across aircraft type, route, season and travel class.},
        keywords = {Aviation Service Quality, SERVQUAL, AIRQUAL, In-Flight Hospitality, Thematic Analysis, Passenger Experience, Service Excellence, Quality Assurance},
        month = {September},
        }