The Nature of Airport Brand Associations

Isaac Levi Henderson (), Kan Wai Hong Tsui, Thanh Ngo, Andrew Gilbey and Mark Avis
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Isaac Levi Henderson: School of Aviation, Massey University, Palmerston North 4472, New Zealand
Kan Wai Hong Tsui: School of Business, University of Southern Queensland, Toowomba, QLD 4350, Australia
Andrew Gilbey: School of Aviation, Massey University, Palmerston North 4472, New Zealand
Mark Avis: School of Communication, Journalism and Marketing, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand

Tourism and Hospitality, 2024, vol. 5, issue 3, 1-33

Abstract: This study examines the nature of brand associations that air travellers form with airports and which associations are important when choosing between airports. Using semi-structured qualitative interviews, this study collected information about 240 participants’ most recent trips using air travel, encompassing 642 airport visits and 88 airports worldwide. The associations that participants made with the airports they travelled through were collected, as well as the sorts of associations that are important for choosing between airports and why those associations are important. The data were analysed using thematic analysis, revealing 13 themes each for airport brand associations and important associations for choosing between airports and 14 themes for reasons why those associations were important. Single-sample t -tests reveal that each of these themes has a different effect size in terms of its effect on airport brand association formation and its effect on attitudinal brand choice. This study contributes to the air transport and tourism literature by providing a detailed account of which associations air travellers form with airports and which are used for choosing between airports by contextualising these findings by viewing airports as compound brands. Managerial implications are also provided along with avenues for future research.

Keywords: travel experience; travel behaviour; airport management; brand choice; brand associations; airport choice (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Z3 Z30 Z31 Z32 Z33 Z38 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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