The Effect of Perceived Service Quality on Customer-Based Reputation: A Study on Full-Service Airlines in Egypt

Abstractthe aviation sector in Egypt is currently facing numerous challenges stemming from the rise in global air traffic and travel. In response, the Egyptian government is actively working to draw in more tourists to boost revenue. Additionally, EgyptAir aims to increase its passenger numbers as part of its growth and development strategy, which necessitates improvements in service efficiency and employee skills to enhance competitive advantage. This study was conducted to investigate how the perceived quality of the services offered by EgyptAir affects the company's reputation from the passengers’ perspective. Research Methodology: This study adopts a positivist approach and employs a quantitative method, collecting responses from 584 passengers of EgyptAir. Out of these, 369 completed a questionnaire that assessed the variables relevant to this study, specifically perceived service quality and corporate reputation. The data analysis focused on structural equation modelling (SEM) to explore the relationships between the variables; furthermore, SPSS was utilised to evaluate the hypotheses. Findings: The statistical analysis confirmed that all ServQual dimensions have a positive impact on the customer-based airline reputation, except for the empathy dimension, which did not yield converging results in the model. Perceived Assurance in airlines was the most prominent dimension, followed by responsiveness, tangibility and reliability in that order. Practical Implications: Based on the research findings, it is recommended that EgyptAir managers improve the weakest services mentioned and adopt modernisation technology in all service stages. Moreover, it is essential to invest in the training of service personnel by providing modern training programs, which in turn will improve the customer experience, enhance the airline's reputation in the market, and increase revenue. Keywords: Airline service quality, ServQual, reputation, customer-based reputation, EgyptAir.