Airport Self-Service Technologies, Passenger Self-Concept, and Behavior: An Attributional View

Abstract

Airports are rapidly deploying self-service technologies (SSTs) as a strategy to improve passenger experience by eliminating operational inefficiencies. This places some responsibility on the passengers to shape their experience. As service coproducers, passengers’ self-concepts and attributional tendencies are deemed instrumental in their consumption processes. Accordingly, drawing on the tenets of attribution theory, this study explores the interaction effects of passenger self-concept (am I competent at this?) and causal inference (who is responsible for SSTs’ performance?) on SST performance and satisfaction with airport SST link. Additionally, the probable spillover effect of passenger satisfaction with SST performance on satisfaction with airport and on electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) is examined. The sample for the study consisted of 547 passengers departing from an airport in Shanghai, China. Structural equation modeling was utilized to test the study’s theoretical model. The findings indicate that airport SSTs’ performance influences passenger satisfaction with airport SSTs. The multiplicative effect of passenger self-concept (am I competent at this?) in the moderating role of passenger causal inference (who is responsible for SSTs’ performance?) in SST performance and satisfaction with SST link is demonstrated. Furthermore, the spillover effect of satisfaction with SST performance on satisfaction with airport and on electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) is illustrated. Given the current need for contactlessness, the findings proffer critical managerial and research insights.