Author(s)

M. Elshafey, D. Rowlands, E. Contestabile & A. O. Abd El Halim

Abstract

Physical infrastructure is constructed to provide services to it users. The perceptions of users regarding the level of service are not necessarily constant, however, making it necessary to adapt both the infrastructure and its attending services to adjust to new user demands. The tragic events of September 11, 2001 had just such a disruptive effect on the perception of service levels at airports. This paper uses neural network analysis to examine passenger survey data before and after the September 11th attacks to identify shifts in level of service perceptions at Ottawa Airport. The analysis suggests a significant change occurred in the components that comprised passenger satisfaction levels, even though the overall level of satisfaction was largely unaffected. The results have clear implications for airport authorities in terms of maintaining or improving service provision in the presence of continuing security concerns. Keywords: airport security, level of service, neural networks. 1 Introduction Airports around the world provide transportation facilities to passengers and goods. The main objectives of airport authorities are to maximize user satisfaction and to ensure seamless and safe operations amongst all activities within the airport facilities. The air transportation system primarily consists of two components: groundside facilities and airside facilities [5–7]. Each component plays an important role in the LOS perceived by the passengers.

Keywords

airport security, level of service, neural networks.