Abstract

Purpose: This study examines how safety perceptions and SERVQUAL dimensions influence overall service quality within the airline service distribution process, and how service quality subsequently affects trust and customer satisfaction. Research design, data and methodology: Data was collected through a structured survey from 333 airline passengers in Korea. The survey items were adapted from established scales for safety, service quality, trust, and satisfaction. The data were analyzed using covariance-based Structural Equation Modeling (CB-SEM) with AMOS Version 23, including Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to establish reliability, convergent validity, and causal relationships among the variables Results: The study found that safety perceptions and all SERVQUAL dimensions (Empathy, Responsiveness, Assurance, Tangibility, and Reliability) significantly enhanced service quality. Empathy emerged as the most influential factor in improving service quality. Furthermore, service quality had a strong positive effect on trust and directly increased customer satisfaction. Trust also positively influenced satisfaction, confirming a sequential process in passenger evaluations. Conclusions: The findings underscore the importance of safety and multidimensional service quality as key drivers of trust and satisfaction within the airline service distribution system. The results suggest that airlines should manage distribution channels as integrated service ecosystems, ensuring communication consistency, reliability, and customer-centered interactions to optimize passenger satisfaction and strengthen trust.