The aviation sector's contribution to global CO2 emissions is expected to grow disproportionately as other industries transition to lower-carbon fuels more rapidly. This thesis investigates how "hybrid" green fares, which bundle Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) surcharges with climate project contributions, influence the purchasing process in a post-COVID-19 environment. Using an online survey of 303 experienced air travelers, the study presented respondents with a realistic booking scenario featuring four fare options: Economy Basic, Economy Basic Plus, Economy Green, and Economy Flex. The results showed that approximately 19.8% of participants selected the Economy Green option. While price focus was identified as a major barrier—reducing the odds of choosing a green fare by roughly 66% for every standard deviation increase in price sensitivity—the study found that socio-demographic factors like age and gender were relatively weak predictors of choice compared to psychological constructs.The research integrated the Norm Activation Model and the Theory of Planned Behavior to identify the primary drivers of sustainable ticket selection. Personal moral obligation emerged as the most significant positive predictor; individuals who felt a strong moral duty to fly sustainably were more than three times as likely to select the green fare. Additionally, travelers who placed a high value on receiving granular CO2 information and those who held high levels of trust in the airline's intentions were significantly more likely to adopt the environmentally branded option. Interestingly, general environmental concern and "flight shame" did not significantly predict fare choice when moral obligation and trust were accounted for, highlighting a persistent "attitude-behavior gap" where broad concerns do not necessarily translate into higher-priced purchases. For airline management, these findings suggest that green fares should be framed around moral and informational values rather than just technical or environmental content. Because trust in the airline to use surcharges as advertised is a critical predictor of purchase, investing in transparency and third-party auditing is a business requirement for the success of these products. The study concludes that while most travelers remain price-driven, a distinct "morally-involved" segment exists that will pay a premium if provided with credible, clear information and a trustworthy
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Purpose of this Thesis
1.2 Research Gap
1.2.1 No comprehensive framework to assess various CO2-reduction mechanisms and tools within each purchase?
1.2.2 Limited Understanding of How Psychological Constructs and Construct Clarity Relate to Multi-Option Selection Situations
1.2.3 Absence of Accurate Current Green Fare Practices and Post COVID Booking Trends
1.3 Research Objective and Research Questions
1.4 Thesis Structure
2 Theoretical Background and Hypothesis Development
2.1 Model used for analysis
2.2 Emotional Influences: Guilt and Flight Shame
2.3 Fairness and Trust in Perception
2.4 The Hypothesis
3 Methodology
3.1 The Research Philosophy
3.2 Research Design
3.2.1 Deductive Testing of Theory
3.2.2 Quantitative mono-method design
3.2.3 Other elements of this research approach
3.2.4 Explanatory Cross-Sectional Designs
3.2.5 Scenario-based fare choice
3.2.6 Survey Instrument and Measurement
3.2.7 Fare menu and dependent variable
3.2.8 Evaluating perceptions of Economy Green fare
3.2.9 Instrument (mandatory charge vs voluntary offset)
3.2.10 Socio-Demographic and Travel Behavior
3.2.11 Empirical Study Target Population and Inclusion Criteria
3.2.12 A fixed order was used to arrange the questionnaire
3.3 Sample selection and quality of responses
3.3.1 Data protection and ethical considerations
3.3.2 Methods for Preparing and Analyzing Data
3.3.3 Creation of composite scales
4 Result
4.1 Results of the Measurement Model
4.1.1 Distribution of fare choice and sensitivity to price
4.1.2 Model Performance and Multicollinearity
4.2 Hypothesis Testing and Findings
5 Conclusion
5.1 Integrating Academic and Managerial Perspectives
Research Objectives and Topics
This thesis investigates how airline passengers evaluate and select flights based on fare options containing integrated CO2 reduction mechanisms. It specifically explores how psychological factors, such as moral obligation and trust, interact with price sensitivity and fare design to influence consumer choices in a post-COVID-19 environment.
- Analysis of consumer preference profiles for green vs. traditional fare types.
- Examination of the impact of psychological variables like flight shame, moral obligation, and green trust on purchasing decisions.
- Assessment of how ticket framing (e.g., mandatory vs. voluntary surcharges) affects perceived fairness and value.
- Identification of distinct traveler segments based on their trade-offs between price, flexibility, and climate responsibility.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 Purpose of this Thesis
There are important conclusions to be drawn from the research reviewed above; however, there are also gaps in our understanding of the changes in consumer behaviour as it relates to all aspects of travelling by air post-COVID-19, and that evidence provides the motivation to develop this thesis. Most of the studies have focused on analyzing only one CO2 Instrument, for example, Voluntary Offsets at (Mello, 2024; Rotaris et al., 2020; Xu et al., 2022); or Emissions Labels in the Online Search at (Crosby et al., 2025); (Sanguinetti & Amenta, 2022). However, as many airlines use several CO2 reduction mechanisms in combination, this has made it very complicated for the airlines and consumers alike to ascertain what constitutes a "green" product. Currently, passengers are provided with overlapping combinations of mandatory charges, voluntary surcharges, and different types of "green" products when it comes to making their purchasing decisions. The current literature does not understand how consumers view and decide between these co-existing CO2 reduction mechanisms when they go to make a purchase.
With respect to the literature referred to in this study, although previous studies identify socio-demographic, attitudinal, and value-oriented factors as WTP factors, they have primarily been applied to hypothetical or abstract scenarios that do not fully reflect the real booking environment as existed at the time of these studies. Most experiments have manipulated offset and SAF premium attributes separately from other fare and service attributes; however, airlines must be weighed against other service-related differences (e.g., Price, flexible options, included baggage allowances, loyalty benefits) all at once at the time of purchase. There is a necessity for empirical research that brings together CO2 reduction choices with complex ticket purchasing decisions and to learn how environmental concerns and preferences interact with other known substitutionary influences on behavior such as the influence of price, risk and brand preferences.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of aviation's contribution to climate change and outlines the study's research objectives and structural framework.
2 Theoretical Background and Hypothesis Development: Reviews existing literature on sustainable aviation practices and establishes the conceptual model linking consumer psychology to fare selection.
3 Methodology: Details the scenario-based online survey design, the statistical approach (logistic regression), and the recruitment of participants for the study.
4 Result: Presents the empirical findings of the study, including descriptive statistics and the results of the three nested regression models analyzing fare choice.
5 Conclusion: Summarizes the key findings regarding the impact of moral obligation and trust on fare selection and provides implications for airline management and future research.
Keywords
Aviation, CO2 emissions, Sustainable aviation fuel, Voluntary carbon offsets, Green fare, Consumer behavior, Theory of Planned Behavior, Norm Activation Model, Willingness to pay, Price sensitivity, Flight shame, Carbon labeling, Airline management, Market segmentation, Sustainability
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this master thesis?
The thesis examines the factors influencing how air travelers make purchasing decisions when faced with various "green" fare options that include carbon-related surcharges or offsets alongside traditional fare attributes like price and flexibility.
What are the primary themes investigated?
The study centers on the intersection of consumer psychology (values, norms, emotions like flight shame) and market-based instruments (SAF, carbon offsets, branded green fares) within the airline industry.
What is the main research objective?
The primary goal is to understand how airline passengers select and assess flights featuring embedded CO2 reduction mechanisms and how individual perceptions and beliefs influence this decision-making process.
What methodology was employed?
The research used a quantitative, scenario-based online survey of 303 experienced air travelers, applying a nested logistic regression analysis to determine the predictors of choosing "Economy Green" fares.
What is discussed in the main body of the work?
The main sections cover the theoretical grounding in the Norm Activation Model and Theory of Planned Behavior, the design of a realistic flight booking experiment, and a detailed statistical analysis of how variables like moral obligation and trust influence fare choices.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
Key terms include Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), Voluntary Carbon Offsets (VCO), Green Fare, Flight Shame, Price Sensitivity, and Consumer Behavior.
How does the COVID-19 pandemic influence the research findings?
The thesis highlights post-COVID-19 behavioral shifts, such as increased uncertainty and a trend toward booking closer to departure, which impacts how consumers interact with optional CO2 surcharges.
What role does the "personal moral obligation" variable play?
Personal moral obligation is identified as the most statistically significant predictor of choosing a green fare, with respondents feeling a sense of duty to mitigate the climate impact of their flights significantly more likely to select the more sustainable option.
- Quote paper
- Udeept Detha (Author), 2025, Factors Influencing the Purchasing Process in Air Travel, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1684139
