Passengers' intentions to use low-cost carriers: An extended theory of planned behavior model

The purpose of this paper is to develop and test an extended research model based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) that identifies factors influencing the intention to use low-cost carriers (LCCs) in China. A survey of 596 passengers was conducted in two major airports in China, and a structural equation modeling method was used to test the hypotheses. The results indicate that attitudes, subjective norms, price, service quality, access, uncertainty avoidance, and technology self-efficacy significantly influence passenger decisions to travel by LCCs, while perceived behavioral control (PBC) and frequency are not considered important impact factors. Price is the strongest determinant of the intention to use LCCs, followed by service quality. The findings enhance the understanding of LCC passenger motivation from psychological, service, and cultural perspectives, providing useful implications for LCCs in improving marketing strategies and customer services.