Evaluation of Customer Satisfaction Dimensions in Full Service and Low-Cost Airlines Via Dynamic Topic Modeling Approach

Abstract

The study aims to uncover the dimensions of customer satisfaction for full-service and low-cost airlines and examine the changes in these dimensions between 2015 and 2022. A total of 32,000 online customer reviews obtained from TripAdvisor are analyzed using BERTopic, a topic modelling method that facilitates the extraction of contextual information. The analysis reveals that the prominent dimensions of customer satisfaction for full-service airlines include baggage, flight delays, cabin crew, and in-flight services, while for low-cost airlines, price, COVID-19-related issues, and auxiliary services are emphasized. According to the results of dynamic topic modelling, negative reviews regarding cabin crew have increased for full-service airlines, whereas reviews related to in-flight entertainment have decreased. For low-cost airlines, reviews concerning flight cancellations and customer service have surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings provide strategic recommendations to the industry by identifying key service areas affecting customer satisfaction and illustrating how customer feedback has evolved over time. The study offers valuable insights for managing long-term customer satisfaction in the airline industry.