How do differences in airline passengers’ satisfaction with connectivity modes affect last-mile travel choices? A SALC modeling based on RRM

Airport connectivity travel is the last mile of the air travel process. The characteristics of different connectivity travel modes are key factors influencing air passengers’ choices. However, the arriving passengers’ subjective expectations and satisfaction levels differ significantly across these modes. Therefore, considering differences in satisfaction of passengers with connectivity services, the study conducts a questionnaire survey at Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport, and 542 valid questionnaires are obtained. Arriving passengers’ satisfaction with different modes was measured based on the structural equation model. The latent profile analysis was utilized to classify into different categories considering their satisfaction levels. A new model, the scale-adjusted latent class model based on Random Regret Minimization (RRM), is established, using passengers’ satisfaction categories as a scale parameter to analyze the impact of satisfaction differences on connectivity travel mode choices. The results show that there are two primary satisfaction categories, one group has high satisfaction with metro (HSM) and the other has high satisfaction with car-hailing (HSC). Passengers’ preference heterogeneity is revealed and can be divided into three classes, avoiding-transfer (ATC), cost-sensitive (CSC), and time-sensitive (TSC). Waiting time, comfort degree, travel out-of-pocket expenses (OPE), and transfer convenience significantly influence mode choice behavior of TSC. The CSC would be more concerned about the OPE. ATC emphasizes the transfer convenience. Strategies to enhance satisfaction with connectivity services are suggested, aiming to optimize the last mile of intercity travel and promote efficient urban transportation operations.