Abstract:

This study seeks practical explanations of drivers behind Pakistan’s consumer's purchases of airline tickets via internet/website. A breakdown of consumer perceptions and usage habits of internet booking system that can instigate use of internet ticketing or influence its non-usage would enable us to identify which online ticketing features to concentrate on and make the internet reservation process of airlines reliable, user-friendly and competitive. Airlines around the world seek to increase the proportion of sales they make directly on their own website because it helps them to reduce their distribution costs which are a key to enhance the airline’s profitability. Primary data was collected through questionnaire from the urban population of Pakistan to identify associations of consumer habits and preferences for internet as sales channels. Significant associations of consumer’s preferred sales channel for purchases of air tickets were tested with their demographics, age, and education using Chi-square. Education of consumers was found to have a significant association with the usage of the internet as a sales channel. The findings of this study will support the assessment of different degrees of influence airline managers can gather from perceptions of Pakistani customers about internet sales channel usage to facilitate the generation of airline’s internet sales. Identification of key instigators of internet ticketing usage will facilitate decision makers to influence the traveler satisfaction from internet booking system of local airlines.