Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction in Kenya Airways Cargo Operations

Abstract

The aim of this study is to establish how perceived service quality impacts customer satisfaction in airline cargo operations. Specifically the study seeks to identify the key determinants of service quality in airline cargo operations with the case of Kenya Airways Cargo and to determine customer satisfaction levels. The study will adopt a descriptive survey design. The population will comprise agents who send or receive cargo using Kenya Airways cargo. A sample of 110 agents will be randomly selected for the study. Purposive sampling will be used to select the Cargo Centre at JKIA Nairobi as the study site. The study will rely on data collected through a questionnaire structured to meet the objectives of the study. The questions will be both open ended and closed ended. The process of data analysis will involve data clean up and explanation. The SERVQUAL instrument containing 22 statements will be adapted to measure the performance across the five dimensions using a five point liker scale measuring both customer expectations and perceptions. Responses in the questionnaires will be tabulated, coded and processed with the aid of a statistical software package for data analysis. The responses from the open-ended questions will be listed to obtain proportions appropriately. The study is significant as it would provide the management of the airline, in this case Kenya Airways, information that they can leverage on to improve on service quality of the cargo operations for customer satisfaction and retention as a profit strategy. It will also add to the knowledge required to assist policy makers and regulatory bodies make decisions that would change the way operations are carried out.