Perceived onboard passengers' experience: Flight attendants' point of view

Area of Science:

• Aviation Psychology
• Human Factors in Aviation
• Passenger Experience Research

Background:

• Cabin research traditionally relies on passenger self-reports.
• Flight attendant perspectives offer a complementary view on passenger experience.
• Understanding onboard service provider insights is crucial for comprehensive cabin analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate flight attendants' perceptions of passengers' inflight activities.
• To analyze flight attendants' views on the passenger experience during flights.
• To identify key inflight activities from the perspective of cabin crew.

Main Methods:

• Interviews were conducted with 28 flight attendants.
• Over 23 inflight activities were identified through brainstorming.
• A survey based on these activities was developed and administered to flight attendants.

Main Results:

• Flight attendants identified 'resting/relaxing', 'sleeping', and 'using the restroom' as most important passenger activities.
• 'Talking to neighbors' and 'thinking and observing' were perceived as least important.
• Flight attendants reported higher satisfaction scores for certain activities compared to passenger data.

Conclusions:

• Flight attendants share similar views with passengers on the importance of inflight activities.
• Cabin crew perceptions indicate higher satisfaction for some passenger activities.
• Flight attendant insights provide valuable data for enhancing the passenger journey.