Consumers’ Behavioral Intentions towards low-cost airlines: the case of consumers in Greece

Abstract

Low Cost Carriers (LCCs) are currently experiencing significant growth by developing a highly competitive business model based on low cost resulting from the use of secondary airports and standardized fleets, as well as the provision of relatively shorter routes. The most important reason for the consumers to choose these companies is the low price of the tickets, without overlooking factors such as the quality of service, the availability of itineraries to the desired destinations and the range of the network served. These factors shape the perceived quality and satisfaction of the consumers, who adopt attitudes toward LCCs that are translated into behavioral intentions and actual purchasing behaviors, as the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) suggests. The aim of this paper is to investigate consumer intentions in Greece towards LCCs based on the TPB, while taking into account the reasons for selecting these companies and the factors shaping consumer satisfaction. The survey involved 154 consumers in Greece who were asked to fill out a specially designed questionnaire of 37 objective questions. According to the research results, the main reason for choosing LCCs was the low cost of tickets, but the availability of airline connections to the desired destinations and the perceived quality were also important reasons.