The effect of the uniforms and attitudes of the flight attendants on passenger repurchase intention, and the mediating role of brand imagery and brand perception

Abstract

In a competitive airline industry, even small details, like the cabin crew's uniforms and demeanor, can significantly influence passenger loyalty, and hence, this study aims to reveal how the cabin crews' attitudes, behaviors, and uniforms shape passengers' loyalty through brand imagery and brand perception. The data was collected from airline passengers by utilizing the convenient sampling method. A total of 488 surveys out of 520 participants were included in the analyses conducted using Partial Least Squares - Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) software. The results show that the appearances and attitudes of uniformed cabin crews significantly affect the repurchase intention, and while the brand perception only mediates the effect of attitudes on repurchase intention, the brand imagery both appearances and attitudes of uniformed cabin crews. Results suggest that airlines need to pay attention to both the attitudes and the appearance of the cabin crew to make the passengers feel that the airline is their own extent and, in return, to increase passengers' repurchase intention. Unlike previous studies, this research focuses on the interplay between visual branding through uniforms and passengers' psychological mechanisms driving loyalty explained by Social Identity Theory and Aesthetic Labor Theory. This research demonstrates the strategic role of cabin crew in creating a brand experience that is different but reflective of their own identity.