The Impact of In-Flight Food and Beverage Quality on Passenger Loyalty: The Roles of Brand Love and Price Reasonableness in Airline Travel

The quality of food and beverages served on flights is crucial to passengers' overall flight experiences in the aviation industry; however, there is a lack of research on how it affects passenger behaviour. This study examines the impact of airline food and beverage quality on brand love, reasonable prices, and passenger loyalty. Adopting a quantitative method, data were collected using a questionnaire from 270 passengers who had experienced food and beverage services on long-haul flights. The partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) method and a disjoint two-stage approach were employed to assess the measurement and structural model. Results revealed that food and beverage (F&B) quality, brand love, and reasonable prices significantly enhance passenger loyalty. Brand love has the strongest influence on passenger loyalty, and the quality of in-flight food and beverages has a greater impact on brand love compared to reasonable prices. This study enhances the understanding of passenger behaviour in the aviation sector and underscores the significance of food and beverage quality. The theoretical and practical implications within the specific sample of participants have been discussed.