COVID-19 팬데믹 상황에서의 여행객의 위험지각에 따른 기내 서비스 변화 연구: FGI 기법을 활용하여

As WHO declared the pandemic of COVID-19 on July 11, 2020, the coronavirus has led to the almost complete halt of all flow of people and products across borders. International tourism has suffered the most from the negative impacts of COVID-19. All airline companies have faced difficulties due to decreasing demand for air travel and had to replace friendly and comfortable face-to-face in-flight services with limited personal contact services to prevent the transmission of the virus. This study aims to identify perceived risks among air travelers before and after the pandemic by adopting the FGI approach. Qualitative methods are useful to identify issues and problems in an unprecedented situation like the COVID-19 pandemic. The results clearly indicate that the perceived risks associated with air travel have changed before and after the pandemic; before the pandemic, safety and security issues were the major concerns for air travelers, but the transmission of the virus through person-to-person contact is the most dominant issue after the pandemic. Keeping a distance, taking supervisory actions against unruly behaviors of other passengers, and imposing firm regulatory actions by aircrew are derived as key issues. New Normal passengers tend to prefer noncontact communication with attendants as well as pre-packaged F&B services. A few interviewees also mentioned the structural changes to secure individual space and prevent the potential risk of virus transmission. They also emphasized the importance of regular cleaning and disinfection efforts. Interestingly, some mentioned implementing a monitoring system to provide air travelers with timely information on health risks. Most of the interviewees suggested a system to rate airline companies by their security and safety practices against COVID-19. Managerial and marketing implications for the airline industry are also provided toward the end of the article.