A qualitative analysis of social and emotional perspectives of airline passengers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Tracy L. Lamb; Keith J. Ruskin; Stephen Rice; Leili Khorassani; Scott R. Winter; Dothang Truong

doi:10.1016/j.jairtraman.2021.102079

A qualitative analysis of social and emotional perspectives of airline passengers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Tracy L. Lamb, Keith J. Ruskin, Stephen Rice, Leili Khorassani, Scott R. Winter, Dothang Truong

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

 Background
 Fear of illness, economic damage, and stigma have had a devastating impact on the travel industry and have caused a significant reduction in both business and leisure travel. This study examines passengers' social and emotional perspectives during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, building on a prior quantitative study that identified factors that predict a person's willingness to fly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 Methods
 This study used a qualitative method with a phenomenological perspective and       hermeneutic     design. Fifteen adults from the United States participated in a personal interview designed to capture demographics, individual safety measures, feelings, and concerns involving air travel during the pandemic. Personal interview transcripts were then inspected by the researchers using a constant comparison method.
 Results
 The personal experiences of participants were dominated by projections of trust issues and emotional heuristics, protective behaviors, and fear of confrontations with others, and a fear of the unknown. These themes emerged even in participants who continued to fly during the pandemic.
 Conclusion
 Insights into travelers’ emotions, trust, and fears may help airlines and other segments of the travel industry to develop targeted messaging that supports the trust and safety issues confronted by frequent travelers.

Original language	American English
Journal	Journal of Air Transport Management
Volume	94
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jairtraman.2021.102079
State	Published - Jul 2021

Disciplines

Business
Social and Behavioral Sciences

Access to Document

10.1016/j.jairtraman.2021.102079License: Unspecified

Cite this

@article{386778f44e7441bba62d7e2c6dfc6a3b,

title = "A qualitative analysis of social and emotional perspectives of airline passengers during the COVID-19 pandemic",

abstract = " Background Fear of illness, economic damage, and stigma have had a devastating impact on the travel industry and have caused a significant reduction in both business and leisure travel. This study examines passengers' social and emotional perspectives during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, building on a prior quantitative study that identified factors that predict a person's willingness to fly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This study used a qualitative method with a phenomenological perspective and hermeneutic design. Fifteen adults from the United States participated in a personal interview designed to capture demographics, individual safety measures, feelings, and concerns involving air travel during the pandemic. Personal interview transcripts were then inspected by the researchers using a constant comparison method. Results The personal experiences of participants were dominated by projections of trust issues and emotional heuristics, protective behaviors, and fear of confrontations with others, and a fear of the unknown. These themes emerged even in participants who continued to fly during the pandemic. Conclusion Insights into travelers{\textquoteright} emotions, trust, and fears may help airlines and other segments of the travel industry to develop targeted messaging that supports the trust and safety issues confronted by frequent travelers.",

author = "Lamb, {Tracy L.} and Ruskin, {Keith J.} and Stephen Rice and Leili Khorassani and Winter, {Scott R.} and Dothang Truong",

year = "2021",

month = jul,

doi = "10.1016/j.jairtraman.2021.102079",

language = "American English",

volume = "94",

journal = "Journal of Air Transport Management",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - A qualitative analysis of social and emotional perspectives of airline passengers during the COVID-19 pandemic

AU - Lamb, Tracy L.

AU - Ruskin, Keith J.

AU - Rice, Stephen

AU - Khorassani, Leili

AU - Winter, Scott R.

AU - Truong, Dothang

PY - 2021/7

Y1 - 2021/7

N2 - Background Fear of illness, economic damage, and stigma have had a devastating impact on the travel industry and have caused a significant reduction in both business and leisure travel. This study examines passengers' social and emotional perspectives during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, building on a prior quantitative study that identified factors that predict a person's willingness to fly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This study used a qualitative method with a phenomenological perspective and hermeneutic design. Fifteen adults from the United States participated in a personal interview designed to capture demographics, individual safety measures, feelings, and concerns involving air travel during the pandemic. Personal interview transcripts were then inspected by the researchers using a constant comparison method. Results The personal experiences of participants were dominated by projections of trust issues and emotional heuristics, protective behaviors, and fear of confrontations with others, and a fear of the unknown. These themes emerged even in participants who continued to fly during the pandemic. Conclusion Insights into travelers’ emotions, trust, and fears may help airlines and other segments of the travel industry to develop targeted messaging that supports the trust and safety issues confronted by frequent travelers.

AB - Background Fear of illness, economic damage, and stigma have had a devastating impact on the travel industry and have caused a significant reduction in both business and leisure travel. This study examines passengers' social and emotional perspectives during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, building on a prior quantitative study that identified factors that predict a person's willingness to fly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This study used a qualitative method with a phenomenological perspective and hermeneutic design. Fifteen adults from the United States participated in a personal interview designed to capture demographics, individual safety measures, feelings, and concerns involving air travel during the pandemic. Personal interview transcripts were then inspected by the researchers using a constant comparison method. Results The personal experiences of participants were dominated by projections of trust issues and emotional heuristics, protective behaviors, and fear of confrontations with others, and a fear of the unknown. These themes emerged even in participants who continued to fly during the pandemic. Conclusion Insights into travelers’ emotions, trust, and fears may help airlines and other segments of the travel industry to develop targeted messaging that supports the trust and safety issues confronted by frequent travelers.

U2 - 10.1016/j.jairtraman.2021.102079

DO - 10.1016/j.jairtraman.2021.102079

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JO - Journal of Air Transport Management

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