This chapter intends to investigate the factors influencing the green purchase intention of passengers in the context of the airline industry and to develop a hierarchical interdependencies model among these factors. To this end, consensus-based interviews with academic experts were conducted. Drawing on a total of 8 factors defined, interpretive structural modeling (ISM) created a hierarchical model. The Matrice d'Impacts Croisés Multiplication Appliquée á un Classement (MICMAC) analysis was additionally applied to validate the ISM model and determine the driving and dependence power of each factor. In terms of influencing green purchasing intention, the results demonstrated that perceived consumer effectiveness, subjective norm, environmental knowledge, environmental awareness, and environmental concern were at the root of the hierarchical model, and green image was at the top. In order to manage passengers' green purchase intentions, policymakers and marketers could benefit from the ISM model designed to comprehend the interdependencies between factors.
TopIntroduction
Since deregulation in the U.S. in 1978, the airline industry has seen substantial growth. For example, from 2010 to the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020, the number of passengers carried by airlines doubled to 4.56 million (World Bank, 2021). Indeed, the airline business is a significant economic industry in terms of the number of passengers carried, its contribution to the global gross domestic product (GDP), and employment. Nevertheless, despite its economic benefits, this industry is detrimental to natural resources and the environment. Beyond minor effects, like noise pollution, the aviation industry is accountable for significant long-term effects, such as carbon emissions (Baumeister, Zeng, et al., 2022).
The global aviation industry produces 2.1% of all carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions resulting from human activity. Furthermore, aviation activities are responsible for 12% of CO2 emissions of all modes of transport (ATAG, 2020). Consequently, the aviation industry is currently in a position where both economic contributions and losses must be accounted for. In response to these concerns, the aviation industry plans to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050 through the Fly Net Zero project (IATA, 2021). Furthermore, the concern for sustainability in the civil aviation industry has been raised in the academic arena. For the Journal of Air Transport Management (JATM), Merkert (2022) analyzed the status of the air transport management research area between 2015 and 2021. Although sustainability is a long-established theme of JATM, Merkert (2022) asserts that sustainability has room for growth. Rocha et al. (2022) highlighted that sustainability is disregarded as a quality concern in airport terminals. Therefore, in the future, airport management will place a greater emphasis on the energy efficiency of terminals, green spaces, and recycling (Rocha et al., 2022).
The level of consumer awareness and understanding about the degradation of the environment and its effect on social life is constantly increasing. This condition has spawned a procedure in which consumers examine their purchase decisions in light of environmental and human health considerations (Varshneya et al., 2017). Consequently, consumers seek eco-friendly products due to rising environmental consciousness and associated concerns (Zhuang et al., 2021). Therefore, it is crucial to comprehend the purchasing patterns of environmentally concerned consumers in the airline industry, a major source of CO2 emissions.
Consumers’ green purchase intention is the best manifestation of green purchase behavior. A better understanding of this phenomenon is of great importance for businesses to formulate marketing strategies. To support environmentally friendly products, marketers must think about consumer preferences and decision-making procedures (Zhuang et al., 2021). Various studies have been conducted on the factors affecting consumers’ green purchase intention (Mishal et al., 2017; Ruangkanjanases et al., 2020; Sreen et al., 2018). Given the importance of sustainability in the airline industry, as discussed above, a deeper understanding of green purchase intention is critical.