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The impact of COVID-19 on airline passenger travel behavior: An exploratory analysis on the Chinese aviation market

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  • Zhang, Linfeng
  • Yang, Hangjun
  • Wang, Kun
  • Bian, Lei
  • Zhang, Xian

Abstract

China was the first airline market in the world to be hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been gradually recovering as the pandemic is largely contained domestically. However, with the global pandemic spread and great uncertainty, there has been a remarkable change in airline passengers’ travel behavior. This paper collected air passenger-level data from TravelSky in the Chinese market. In addition to the analyses on aggregate passenger flow patterns, this paper explores changes in airline passenger travel behavior, such as ticket booking time, age distribution of passengers, refunds and ticket changes, and passenger arrival time at airports. This is one of the first studies to focus on micro-level changes in airline passenger travel behavior by using objective passenger-level data. The pandemic-induced psychological changes in air travelers are explored, providing useful managerial and policymaking implications for the normalization of the pandemic and the recovery of the airline market in the post-pandemic era.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, Linfeng & Yang, Hangjun & Wang, Kun & Bian, Lei & Zhang, Xian, 2021. "The impact of COVID-19 on airline passenger travel behavior: An exploratory analysis on the Chinese aviation market," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jaitra:v:95:y:2021:i:c:s0969699721000673
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jairtraman.2021.102084
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    Cited by:

    1. Lee, Wang-Sheng & Tran, Trang My & Yu, Lamont Bo, 2022. "Dual Circulation and Population Mobility during the Pandemic in China," IZA Discussion Papers 15269, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Bing Zhao & Hao Wu, 2022. "A System Dynamics Model of Multi-Airport Logistics System under the Impact of COVID-19: A Case of Jing-Jin-Ji Multi-Airport System in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-19, October.
    3. Wandelt, Sebastian & Sun, Xiaoqian & Zhang, Anming, 2023. "On the contagion leakage via incoming flights during China’s aviation policies in the fight against COVID-19," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    4. To, Wai Ming & Lee, Peter K.C., 2024. "Modeling of the COVID-19 impact on air passenger traffic in the US, European countries, and China," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    5. Wang, Jinghua & Zhang, Zhao & Lu, Guangquan & Yu, Bin & Zhan, Chengyu & Cai, Jingsong, 2023. "Analyzing multiple COVID-19 outbreak impacts: A case study based on Chinese national air passenger flow," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    6. Hanson, Daniel & Toru Delibasi, Tuba & Gatti, Matteo & Cohen, Shamai, 2022. "How do changes in economic activity affect air passenger traffic? The use of state-dependent income elasticities to improve aviation forecasts," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    7. Eunmin (Min) Hwang & Yen-Soon Kim & Hyo Geun Song, 2023. "Airline Passengers’ Willingness to Reserve Inflight Meals Online and Their Willingness to Pay for Meal Upgrades: The Case Study of U.S. Students," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-22, May.
    8. Anne Graham & David Warnock-Smith & John F. O’Connell & Marina Efthymiou & Xingwu Zheng, 2023. "Market Developments on Chinese International Air Passenger Markets in Light of COVID-19 Policy Measures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-24, January.
    9. Kim, Dohun & Lim, Chaehwan & Ha, Hun-Koo, 2024. "Comparative analysis of changes in passenger's perception for airline companies' service quality before and during COVID-19 using topic modeling," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    10. Xie, Jiemin & Zhan, Shuguang & Wong, S.C. & Wen, Keyu & Qiang, Lixia & Lo, S.M., 2022. "High-speed rail services for elderly passengers: Ticket-booking patterns and policy implications," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 96-106.
    11. Chen, Yilin & Yang, Hangjun & Wang, Kun & Guo, Lin, 2022. "Intercity network expansion by low-cost carrier or high-speed rail, from the environmental perspective," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    12. Lin, Yi-Hsin & Wu, Hanjun & He, Hang & Tsui, Kan Wai Hong, 2023. "Changes in perceptions of airport services’ attributes: An assessment of the impacts of COVID-19," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 116-128.
    13. Li, Siping & Xu, Gangyan & Zhou, Yaoming, 2023. "How air transport networks respond to long-lasting disruptive events like COVID-19: The first step toward long-term resilience," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    14. Lázaro Florido-Benítez, 2023. "A Bibliometric Overview of the International Airports and Airlines ‘IAA’ Topic in Journals and Scientific Community," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-25, June.
    15. Ng, Kam To & Fu, Xiaowen & Hanaoka, Shinya & Oum, Tae Hoon, 2022. "Japanese aviation market performance during the COVID-19 pandemic - Analyzing airline yield and competition in the domestic market," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 237-247.
    16. Sugishita, Kashin & Mizutani, Hiroki & Hanaoka, Shinya, 2024. "Disruption and recovery of the US domestic airline networks during the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).

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