A Study on the Behavioral Change of Passengers on Sustainable Air Transport after COVID-19

Abstract

From the perspective of the sustainability of aviation demand, we investigated passenger perceptions with regards to whether or not Korean people will resume the use of air transport after COVID-19. Based on five factors—the prevalence of COVID-19, requirements for self-isolation, circumstances at the destination, social atmosphere with regards to overseas travel, and level of preventative measures employed in the aviation service sector—a structured questionnaire was developed using confirmatory factor analysis. Based on these, the main levels of determination per factor were derived and a structured path for the recovery of aviation demand via structural equation analysis between factors was analyzed. The five factors established above were found to have a significant impact on passenger perceptions with regards to the restart of using air transport. It was found that people may consider resuming overseas travel with air transport, prior to the development of a COVID-19 cure or vaccine, corresponding to relaxed requirements for self-isolation if there is a fall in the number of confirmed cases. In addition, it was determined that the unconditional lifting of self-isolation requirements without considerations for the hygienic conditions of the destination has limitations in how much it will lead to the resumption of air travel. We hope that this study will serve as a starting point for other studies monitoring passenger behavior in the future and that it will lead to the development of sustainable strategies for recovering aviation demand.