Factors affecting airline brand love, passengers? loyalty, and positive word-of-mouth. A case study of Royal Air Maroc

In today's highly competitive airline market, maintaining long-lasting client relationships becomes the key factor to business success. Hence, the focus of this study is to identify the factors influencing brand love, passengers' loyalty, and positive word-of-mouth (+WOM). Convenience sampling was used to collect data using an online survey among Royal Air Maroc passengers. The findings from the structural equation modeling imply that airline and terminal tangible, empathy, and airline image have a significant influence on perceived service quality. In addition, price and perceived service quality positively affect passengers' satisfaction. Satisfied passengers are more likely to feel love for the brand and also tend to be more loyal. Further, brand-loving passengers are potential to become loyal and more engaged in + WOM. These results provide valuable implications to develop an airline service quality-based action plan to enhance passengers' satisfaction, airline brand love, passengers' loyalty, and + WOM.

Automated summary

This study aims to identify the factors influencing brand love, passengers' loyalty, and positive word-of-mouth in the airline market. The findings suggest that airline and terminal tangible, empathy, and airline image have a significant influence on perceived service quality. Additionally, price and perceived service quality positively affect passengers' satisfaction. Satisfied passengers are more likely to feel love for the brand and tend to be more loyal, while brand-loving passengers are potential to become loyal and engaged in positive word-of-mouth.