Personal Information of Thai Passengers

Chapter 4 Results of Survey and Discussion

Questionnaire survey is the main method to obtain and collect necessary data for analysis in our study. In this study, the questionnaires are distributed to both of the arrival and departure passengers, at Don Mueang International Airport, Thailand, for two weeks since February 1, 2016. The questionnaire consists of two main parts: one is the basic information part, in this part, the personal information will be used for obtaining the overall image of Thai passengers; and another part, questions for pairwise comparison, the results of comparison will be analyzed by AHP. The questionnaires are designed in English and Thai version.

4.1 Personal Information of Thai Passengers

Personal information part describes the facts of Thai passengers who are the target group of this study. The demographic characteristics of Thai passengers may have an impact on customer’s preference of brand determination toward low cost airline (Alam, 2012).

There are two sections in the personal information part: one is about the background of Thai passengers, in which we ask subjects about gender, age, highest education level, monthly income, and occupation; another is about airline experience, in which we ask subjects about the experiences of traveling on airlines, by Full Service Airline (FSA) or Low Cost Airline (LCA).

The Demographic Characteristics

We hand out 40 questionnaires to Thai passengers in different flights at the arrival passenger gateway and departure passenger gateways in Don Mueang International Airport, Thailand. However, there are only 35 questionnaires that pass the consistent test and could be further analyzed, and the effective respond rate is 87.5%. Next, we will explore in more detail about Thai passengers’ demographic background basing on the 35 effective questionnaires.

The summary of Thai passengers’ demographic background is shown on Table 4.1

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Table 4.1 Summary of Thai Passengers’ Demographic Characteristics Demographic characteristic Number of subjects Proportion Gender

*Ignore the person who has the highest monthly income, 90,001 THB up.

Gender

From the data, it shows that the total number of effective respondents is 35, and 25 females and 10 males. Therefore, in our survey, 71.4% of respondents are females and 28.6%

are male. The proportion of gender is imbalance. Other studies on passenger satisfaction have shown similar imbalances, for example, one study showed a 56% female participation rate (Charoensettasilp & Wu, 2013). Buapibhan(2015) explains that there may exist a difference between male and female passengers that make women more likely to respond.

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Age

The range of age is divided into six groups including less than 15 years old, 15-24 years old, 25-34 years old, 35-49 years old, 50-64 years old, and equal or more than 65 years old. From the data, it indicates that there is no respondent who is less than 15 years old and above 50 years old. Moreover, there are 7 respondents who are 15-24 years old, 23 respondents who are 25-34 years old, which are the greatest group as well, and 5 respondents who are 35-49 years old. Therefore, the proportions of three groups of age are 20%, 65.7%, and 14.3 %, respectively. The average age of the respondents is 29 years old. It seems that young Thai people tend to travel by low cost airline than the elder. Because in the views of Thai senior tourists, they love to stay in the comfort zone, like home comfort zone, therefore, Thai older people might not prefer to do any kinds of activity that may harm their security or safety (Anantamongkolkul et al., 2014). Pipatchaisiri (2012) describes that although travelling with air transportation has the least opportunity to happen mishap, the loss in airline accident is concerned as the most damage than any other transportation losses.

Highest Education Level

The highest education level is divided into four groups including lower than Bachelor’s degree, Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree, and Doctor’s degree. From the data, it shows that, there are 5 respondents who are lower than Bachelor’s degree, 17 respondents who are Bachelor’s degree, which are the greatest group as well, and 13 respondents who are Master’s degree while there is no one who is Doctor’s degree answered the questionnaire.

The proportions of three groups of highest education level are 14.3%, 48.6% and 37.1%, respectively. Buapibhan (2015) also supports that the highest educational level of passengers of low cost airline are in the bachelor or master degree. Moreover, according to the data from BOT (Bank of Thailand, 2015) shows that the average salary of Thai people who are lower than bachelor’s degree is 9,718.21 THB, which salary might be not enough to travel by airline.

Monthly Income

The range of monthly income is divided into five groups including less than 14,000 THB, 14,000-30,000 THB, 30,001-60,000 THB, 60,001-90,000 THB, and equal or more than 90,001 THB. From the data, it shows that there are 7 respondents who earn less than 14,000 THB, 17 respondents who earn 14,000-30,000 THB, which are the greatest group as well, 10

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respondents who earn 30,001-60,000 THB, and 1 respondent who earn equal or more than 90,001 THB. But, there is no one who earns 60,001-90,000 THB. The proportions of four groups of monthly income are 20%, 48.6%, 28.6% and 2.9%, respectively. Moreover, the average monthly income of the respondents is 25,676 THB, when the respondent who earns equal or more than 90,001 THB is ignored. However, when we deeply examine the data of this person, it is the passenger who works in private sector, having a bachelor degree and taking airline for 6-14 times per year on the business and tourism purpose. Besides, the data from National Statistic office in Thailand (2015) indicates that the average monthly income per household is 25, 403 THB. Therefore, most of the passengers in our study belong to the middle class in Thailand. They need to save money by taking LCA when they want to travel by air.

Occupation

The types of occupations are divided into four groups including student, government sector, private sector, and others (e.g. housewife and retired). From the data, it shows that there are 10 respondents who are students, 4 respondents who are in government sector, 17 respondents who are in private sector, which are the greatest group as well, and 4 respondents who are in others. The proportions of four groups of occupations are 28.6%, 11.4%, 48.6%, 11.4%, respectively. The reason that student group prefers to choose air transportation is that most of Thai students are supported by family and no need to take responsibility of earning family income which results in they may have more opportunities to travel (Kumsak, 2013).

Moreover, the private sector is concerned as the occupation that people could earn higher incomes; therefore, this group has more opportunities to take the airline than any others (Bunchoowong, 2015).

Airline Experience of Thai Passengers

We ask Thai passengers about their airline experience by three questions including the frequency of catching air transportation, the main purpose of taking flight, and whether to fly a LCA.

From the data about the frequency of catching air transportation, 25 respondents take on air transportation for 1-5 times per year, which the proportion is counted as 71.4%, 8 respondents for 6-14 times per year is in the second group, which is counted as 22.9%, and 1

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respondent for less than 1 time per year and 1 respondent for 15-29 times per year, which is counted as 2.9%, the results are displayed in the Figure 4.1 below.

Figure 4.1 The Frequency of Catching Air Transportation

From a profoundly inspection on Figure 4.1, it shows that the frequency for Thai passengers to take an airline is 5.07 times per year. Moreover, the passengers who fly for 1-5 times per year are the largest group. From the data of personal information, they are in the private sector group, earning monthly income with 14,000-30,000 THB, owning bachelor degree, and use the airline transportation for tourism purpose. Only one person in the government sector group takes an airline for 15-29 times per year. While Thai passengers taking an airline for less than 1 time per year are in the housewife or retired group whose monthly income is less than 14,000 THB and their highest education level is lower than bachelor degree. However, the passengers who take an airline 6-14 times is in different groups of occupation. The respondents who take an airline in the range of 1-5 times per year they fly for tourism purpose. Tainta (2012) explains that most of the Thai passengers who take an airline for five times per year are for tourism. Muenhong (2006) also describes that passengers who take low cost airline 1-5 times a year are for travelling, while passengers in the government sector take more flights because they take flight for training, seminar, or business (DOEB, 2014). The housewife or retired group with lowest income may need to

2.9%

71.4%

22.9%

2.9%

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Frequency of catching air transportation

<1 time 1-5 times 6-14 times 15-29 times Persons

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save the money; therefore, this group might not earn enough income for taking more air transportation.

As for the main purpose of taking flight, 29 Thai passengers travelling for tourism, the proportion is counted as 82.9% (including business + tourism 8.6%, and tourism + study 2.85% as well); the business purpose is the second group, which there is 5 respondents and the proportion is calculated as 14.3% (including business + tourism 8.6% as well); the third group is for study, there is 2 respondents, or the proportion is 5.7% (including tourism + study 2.85%), further, visit family belong to the third group; and the last group is for seminar, gain 1 respondents, the proportion is 2.85%. The results are displayed in Figure 4.2.

Homanan (2011) and Tainta (2012) support that the main purpose of Thai passengers taking flight are for tourism, business, and family, respectively.

Figure 4.2 The Main Purpose of Taking Flight

Nowadays, most of the Thai passengers prefer to choose air transportation instead of taking train or bus for domestic travelling because air transportation is more comfortable and fast, and the price is not too expensive like the past (Homanan, 2011).Moreover, basing on the data from MMO (Mobile Marketing Association, 2015) indicates that Thai people love travelling life style more than people in APEC. Besides, the data from NSO (National Statistics Office of Thailand, 2015) indicates that the most popular activity of Thai people is tourism.

5.7% 8.6%

71.4%

2.85% 2.85% 5.7%

2.85%

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Business Bu+Tour Tourism Tour+stu Study Visit family Seminar

The main purpose of taking flight

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Figure 4.3 The Number of Passengers Who Travel on LCA

From Figure 4.3, it is not surprising that all Thai passengers have experience on taking low cost airline. The main reason may be that Thai passengers are price sensitive. In our survey, most of Thai respondents, their monthly income is in the range of 14,000-30,000 THB, and in the private sector. These types of passengers are in the major market segment of LCA. That is, the lower income group inclines to fly with LCA, as it provides the group a chance to fly more frequent (Suriya, 2006, and Suriya, 2009). Moreover, the important point is that most of switching passengers to LCA are sensitive to price (Tretheway and Oum, 1992).