From the analysis, we can first conclude, that the principal
antecedent of conative loyalty is affective loyalty, irrespective of the
type of company, but there are differences in the antecedents of
loyalty between the low-cost and the conventional operators. Trust
seems to play a more important role in low-cost companies than in
conventional ones, since it exercises a direct influence on the
behavior intention, conative loyalty, an effect that exists neither in
British Airways nor in Iberia. An explanation of this difference may
be that the passenger associates the low price with lower quality
and when he or she chooses a low-cost company he/she needs
a bonus of trust and security of service.
In all cases satisfaction is the principal antecedent of trust, and
emotional value is the element that generates most satisfaction.
But in this case also, some significant differences can be appreciated
in the antecedents of satisfaction. Thus in the low-cost
company the quality of service and the monetary price are key
elements for the passenger’s satisfaction, while in the conventional
airlines the professionalism of the personnel plays a more
important role. Therefore, value for money is a key element in
competing in the low-cost segment, whereas the professionalism
of the personnel stands out in the strategy of the traditional
airlines.
It is also important to highlight the role played by the brand
and the image, reflected in social value. In both low-cost
companies and conventional airlines, the brand directly influences
conative loyalty, affective loyalty and satisfaction. Moreover
in the case of the low-cost company it has a notable
influence on trust. The brand image is the result of the companies’
communication efforts and of the reality experienced by the
passenger when he or she travels. From this point of view the
resources dedicated to generating a positioning and a certain
image are justified.
Independently of the business model, the importance of
emotional value highlights the care that airlines may need to take
all interactions between the customer and the company’s contact
personnel and equipment, in to generate pleasant experiences.
Care must be taken with all the details of the processes so that the
feelings experienced by the passenger are positive. This can
reinforce satisfaction and, to a lesser extent, trust and affective
loyalty.