Enhancing aircraft cabin comfort to compete with high‐speed trains: A survey in China

Abstract

Abstract To improve the competitiveness of air transport, this study proposed a method for devising a differentiated comfort enhancement strategy and compared the comfort of aircraft and high‐speed trains (HST). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the similarities and differences in the factors influencing comfort in aircraft cabins and HST compartments. The results showed that comfort in wide‐body aircraft cabins was mainly influenced by “food & beverage” and “personal in‐flight entertainment” (personal IFE), whereas comfort in narrow‐body aircraft and HSTs was mainly influenced by the “passenger interface.” The results also showed no significant difference in the overall comfort evaluation of the passenger interface between narrow‐body aircraft and HSTs. Furthermore, aircraft passenger ratings were significantly lower than those of HST passengers with regard to “spaciousness,” “seat comfort,” and “seat and cabin and compartment aesthetics.” The study results suggest that given competition from HSTs, airlines should use different comfort enhancement strategies for wide‐body and narrow‐body aircraft cabins.