In the Wake of Terrorism: A Model for Understanding Traveler's Perceptions of Airport Checkpoint Security Measures

Abstract

Terrorism has generated fear amongst the traveling public, causing the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to improve upon existing airport checkpoint security procedures. Research has examined the effectiveness of these procedures, but few studies have examined travelers’ reactions to them. A model was created to assess travelers’ perceptions of airport checkpoint security measures across dimensions of TSA staff responsiveness, TSA staff assurance, traveler satisfaction, traveler perceived safety, and traveler intent to engage in positive word-of-mouth. Ten thousand (N = 10, 000) travelers were surveyed at 5 major airports around the United States (Honolulu International Airport, Nashville International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, and John F. Kennedy International Airport). Statistically significant positive relationships were found between the variables of TSA staff responsiveness and traveler satisfaction, TSA staff assurance and traveler satisfaction, TSA staff assurance and traveler perceived safety, traveler satisfaction and traveler intent to engage in positive word-of-mouth, and traveler perceived safety and traveler intent to engage in positive word-of-mouth. Additionally, traveler satisfaction and traveler perceived safety were each shown to mediate the relationship between service quality (TSA staff responsiveness and TSA staff assurance combined) and traveler intent to engage in positive word-of-mouth. No significant relationship was found between TSA staff responsiveness and traveler perceived safety. Results suggest this model may be valuable for the TSA in refining existing airport checkpoint security procedures. Specifically, this model may help to identify potential ways for the TSA to improve travelers’ satisfaction, travelers’ perceived safety, and travelers’ intentions of speaking positively to others through word-of-mouth, which may ultimately contribute to the TSA’s efforts towards image management.