Econometric investigation of global and local satisfaction in passengers of a privatized airport infrastructure: the case of GRU Airport

• Grant number: 24/01616-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2024
• End date: August 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Transportation Engineering - Transportation Planning
• Principal Investigator: Alessandro Vinícius Marques de Oliveira
• Grantee: Alessandro Vinícius Marques de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Reitoria. Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica (ITA). Ministério da Defesa (Brasil). São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Airports play a crucial role in the Brazilian economy, as they serve as vital logistical hubs for the efficient movement of people and cargo, boosting business and tourism. Studying the quality of services provided by airport infrastructure is a complex challenge that generally involves conducting interviews with passengers about their assessment of overall satisfaction with the airport, as well as local satisfaction, related to its components. Among the multitude of factors influencing satisfaction evaluations are the latent psychosocial traits and states of the respondents. Our proposal aims to address the phenomenon of passenger satisfaction formation using the case study of the Passenger Satisfaction Survey (PSP), maintained by the National Civil Aviation Agency. We will use data from São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (GRU Airport), one of the first airports to be privatized in the country. The data will be compiled into a more comprehensive database, supplemented by other sources and surveys, which will serve as a platform for our empirical analysis. Through the application of econometric methods, the objective is to estimate the determinants of the global and local satisfaction indicators from the survey, with a view to providing insights into the role of passenger profile, operational factors such as congestion during peak hours, availability and quality of commercial facilities, among other aspects. As a scientific contribution, a procedure not yet explored in the literature is proposed, addressing unobservable psychosocial factors using an econometric specification with high-dimensional controls. The research results have implications for the management of quality and service level of airports and airlines, regarding the improvement of the passenger experience. (AU)