From my research proposal which was based on allocated seating for the low-cost airline, easyJet, “71% of all passengers believed allocated seating was considerably better than scrambling for a seat” (easyJet, 2013). My investigation is to now study student’s perceptions on allocated seating for low-cost airlines.
Allocated seating is a process used by several airlines which allows passengers to be given an assigned seat prior to boarding the flight. Originally, this report would have been based on coursework one, “The consumer behaviour based on the significance of allocated seating for easyJet”. However, from the advice and support of the course tutor, had advised me to re-structure the report and identify a clearer approach to this investigation. (See Appendix I)
This report will now begin to discuss my findings and a critical analysis will follow to help support the evidence. The project will investigate students’ opinions on allocated seating for low-cost airlines, identifying if they would be happy to purchase this service, and whether or not it is necessary for low-cost airlines.
2.0 Data Collected
On completion of my questionnaires, certain trends and indications were found which will be discussed in great detail in the analysis part of the report. The research uses quantitative data where participants have to choose an answer from a list or choose on a scale from, for example strongly agree to strongly disagree. (See Appendix III)
There were a total of 14 questions to be asked, in some areas, required the participants to give additional information regarding their traveling experience. In total, 50 questionnaires were completed to help support this investigation.
The questionnaire commenced by stating the participant’s gender and age, the idea was to categorise these groups and report within the analysis. The idea was to see any trends with a particular gender and age group.
The first 3 questions were designed to seek additional information from the respondents, in order to have a clearer answer in the analysis. It was designed to give a general answer, with limited thoughts and opinions.
Question 1 and 2 was to specify the airlines people fly with, and also to examine the purpose of their travel. It was to establish that if passengers are travelling on business; they may have more money to spend than if they were travelling for the purpose of leisure to which passengers may not be willing to pay more for allocated seating.
Question 3 and 4 was to identify if passengers travelling within a group would be willing to purchase seats together.
Question 5 was designed to indicate the price passengers would be willing to pay, to secure a seat on board. This gave a range of prices, to which the person would have to tick the most appropriate option. The idea was to identify if the Gender and Age would create a trend.
The next following questions required people to agree or disagree with the following statements. This type of data is known as quantitative.
The aim of question 6 is to discreetly examine student’s behaviour of the term low-cost airlines. Ideally, a low-cost airline provides no frills with low costs. The idea of question 6 is to identify if students would pick up on this statement.
Question 7 was to identify if students would prefer allocated seating, over scrambling for a seat on the day. The idea is again, to see and trends or implications from Male: female.
As for question 8, the aim of the question is to point out that low-cost airlines are about low-cost with no frills. This means that the price you pay is about getting from A-to-B in the cheapest, cost effective time.
Question 9 is to underline the importance of allocated seating that if they have already secured a seat, they may feel less stressed of obtaining that seat at the airport. This can result that the airline’s staff can
