The mediating role of brand image in the impact of airport experience on passenger satisfaction: The case of Istanbul Airport

It can be reasonably assumed that passengers have certain expectations of airport experiences, including expedient and straightforward transactions, sufficient time spent at the airport, and a variety of activities. Airports, in turn, seek to meet these expectations and provide a satisfactory experience to their passengers, with the goal of fostering repeat customers. Additionally, it can be argued that airport operators aim to establish the reputation of their airport brands on a global scale and make a notable impact on passengers. The passenger experience at the airport is analysed in two sub-dimensions: processing and non-processing domains. Furthermore, the impact of passenger experience on satisfaction and the formation of the airport brand image, along with the mediating role of brand image, were assessed. The results of the literature review informed the formation of the research model, which posits that airport passenger experience is an independent variable, passenger satisfaction is a dependent variable, and airport brand image serves as a mediating variable. The study employed a quantitative research methodology, with data collected via questionnaires and a purposive sampling technique from non-random sampling methods. The research model was tested on a total of 654 participants, comprising 131 volunteers in the pilot study and 523 volunteers in the main study. The findings of the study indicate that there is a positive relationship between airport experience and passenger satisfaction and brand image variables. Furthermore, the findings indicated that passenger satisfaction exerts a positive and significant influence on brand image. Consequently, it can be concluded that brand image plays a mediating role in the relationship between passenger experience and passenger satisfaction at the airport. In the context of the research, all hypotheses pertaining to brand image, passenger satisfaction, and the mediating effect of check-in and value-adding activities were substantiated. The study's findings and discussions have been derived from the data obtained, and the contributions of the research to both theory and practice are articulated in the study's conclusion.