Decoding Sustainable Air Travel Choices: An Extended TPB of Green Aviation

The aviation sector faces increasing pressure to address climate change as its contribution to global CO2 emissions continues to rise. This study investigates how passengers’ awareness of environmental issues and perceptions of sustainable airline practices affect their Green Air Travel Behavior (GTB). Drawing upon the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and extending it with constructs such as Environmental Awareness (EA), Perceived Service Quality (PSQ), and Green Trust (GT), the research examines their impact on GTB. Using a quantitative design, data were collected from 300 airline passengers and analyzed with Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Results reveal that EA strongly influences PSQ, GT, Attitude (ATT), and Intention (ITN), highlighting its role as a key antecedent. PSQ significantly enhances GT, while both GT and ATT directly predict GTB. However, the effect of ITN on GTB was not significant, indicating an intention–behavior gap. The findings underscore the importance of awareness, trust, and service quality in promoting sustainable air travel, while also pointing to barriers that hinder intentions from becoming actions. Theoretically, the study extends TPB within green aviation, and practically, it provides guidance for airlines and policymakers seeking to advance SDG 13: Climate Action through sustainable air travel strategies.