Service delivery in a physically restricted service environment : the case of airline flight attendants

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dc.contributor.advisorBoshoff, Christoen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorvan Blommestein, Claudia Berniceen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept of Business Management.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2022-05-30T07:19:20Z
dc.date.accessioned2023-01-16T12:46:51Z
dc.date.available2022-05-30T07:19:20Z
dc.date.available2023-01-16T12:46:51Z
dc.date.issued2022-12
dc.descriptionThesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH SUMMARY: International flight attendants’ main responsibilities during a commercial flight are safety, security, and service delivery. This study focussed on the service delivery (which included the service-delivery performance and service-recovery performance) of international flight attendants who are or were formerly employed by four- and five-star full-service airlines. The point of departure was the notion that factors influencing international flight attendants’ service-delivery and service-recovery performance are unique compared to the factors that influence other frontline employees’ service-delivery and service-recovery performance, such as hotel front desk staff, frontline banking employees, nurses and/or receptionists. Against this background, two theoretical models are proposed illustrating the unique factors that might influence international flight attendants’ service-delivery and service-recovery performance. The two theoretical models were empirically assessed by collecting data from 228 international flight attendants representing 46 countries and 16 four- and five-star full-service airlines. The data was collected using online surveys and the results indicated that customer service training and teamwork significantly influence the service-delivery and service-recovery performance of international flight attendants. In addition, the role of fatigue was particularly important in this study. Working conditions, (which included company service delivery expectations, limited physical space, and limited time/time pressure) and unreasonably demanding passengers increased the levels of fatigue among flight attendants, whereas job experience reduced their levels of fatigue. In conclusion, four- and five-star full-service airlines can improve the working environment of international flight attendants by providing adequate customer service training, promoting teamwork among the crew, decreasing flying hours, increasing resting times, facilitating support workshops, reducing certain in-flight services, and exerting their best efforts to retain experienced crew members. Finally, by enhancing the overall health and well-being of international flight attendants, airlines can not only increase the crew’s performance but also increase the performance and profitability of the airline itself.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Internasionale lugwaardinne se hoof verantwoordelikhede tydens 'n kommersiele vlug is om om te sien na die veiligheid, sekuriteit, en dienslewering ten opsigte van die passasiers en die bemanning. Hierdie studie het die klem geplaas op die dienslewerings- en diensherstelprestasie van internasionale lugwaardinne wat werknemers is of was van vier- en vyfster-gegradeerde voldiens lugrederye. Die vertrekpunt was dat die faktore wat internasionale lugwaardinne se dienslewerings- en diensherstelprestasie beïnvloed, uniek is vergeleke met die faktore wat ander kontak- of frontliniepersoneel, soos byvoorbeeld hotelwerknemers, bankwerknemers, verpleegsters en/of ontvangsdames se dienslewerings- en diensherstelprestasie beinvloed. Teen hierdie agtergrond is twee teoretiese modelle voorgestel wat die unieke faktore aandui wat internasionale lugwaardinne se dienslewerings- en diensherstelprestasie kan beinvloed. Die modelle is empiries getoets deur data in te samel van 228 internasionale lugwaardinne wat 46 lande en 16 vier- en vyfster voldiens lugrederye verteenwoordig. Die data is ingesamel met behulp van aanlyn vraelyste en die bevindinge het aangetoon dat klientediensopleiding en spanwerk die dienslewerings- en diensherstelprestasie van internasionale lugwaardinne aansienlik verhoog. Daarbenewens was die rol van uitputting veral belangrik in hierdie studie. Daar is bevind dat die werksomstandighede (wat hoe diensleweringsverwagtinge van die lugrederye, beperkte fisiese werksruimte en beperkte tyd/tydsdruk insluit) asook onredelik veeleisende passasiers, die uitputtingsvlakke van lugwaardinne laat toeneem. Terselfdertyd is bevind dat dieselfde faktore die internasionale lugwaardinne met meer werkservaring se vlakke van uitputting verminder. Die studie beveel aan dat vier- en vyfster voldiens lugrederye die werksomstandighede van internasionale lugwaardinne kan verbeter deur voldoende klientediensopleiding te verskaf, spanwerk onder die bemanning te bevorder, vliegure te verminder, rustye te verleng, ondersteuningswerkswinkels te organiseer, sekere dienste aan boord in te kort, en dat die lugrederye alles in hulle vermoe doen om ervare bemanning te behou. Laastens, deur beter om te sien na die algehele gesondheid en welstand van internasionale lugwaardinne, kan lugrederye nie net hulle bemanning se prestasie verbeter nie, maar in die proses ook hulle eie winsgewendheid en prestasie opskerp.af_ZA
dc.description.versionMasters
dc.format.extentxvii, 205 pages : illustrations, includes annexures
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/126036
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch University
dc.subjectFlight attendants -- Employees -- Evaluationen_ZA
dc.subjectFlight attendants -- Fatigueen_ZA
dc.subjectFlight attendants -- Performanceen_ZA
dc.subjectUCTD
dc.titleService delivery in a physically restricted service environment : the case of airline flight attendantsen_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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