Investigation into waiting time, self-service technology, and customer loyalty: The mediating role of waiting time in satisfaction

This study examines customer satisfaction with waiting time (WT) and customer loyalty (CL) relationships in the airline industry. The mediating influence of waiting time satisfaction (WTS) in the self-service technology (SST) and CL relationship was also examined. Seven hundred fifty structured questionnaires were administered at Sabiha Gokcen, and Instabul international airports in Turkey and partial least square-structural equation modeling were employed for the model analysis. The findings reveal that SST, perceived, retrospective, and prospective WTs are major determinants of WTS. Furthermore, SST and WTS were found to have a linear and significant positive influence on CL. Therefore, this study suggests that the airport management should identify the causes of WT, make the waiting environment conducive for the customers, make the WT inconsequential to the customers, and enhance their loyalty to the airport.