Chen Tiantian, Fu Xiaowen, Hensher David A, Li Zhi-Chun, Sze N N
Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
Behaviour and Knowledge Engineering Research Centre, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
Transp Res E Logist Transp Rev. 2022 Aug;164:102823. doi: 10.1016/j.tre.2022.102823. Epub 2022 Jul 9.
This study quantifies the effects of health control measures at the airport on passenger behaviour related to business travel. A stated preference survey was conducted over potential air travellers in Hong Kong in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. Panel latent class models were estimated to understand passenger preference toward new travel requirements given the applicability of online meeting. Online meeting is applicable in cases where it is a good substitute of air travel and achieves the same outcomes of a trip, and inapplicable otherwise. Empirical results indicate that traveller subgroups are affected in different ways. When an online meeting is inapplicable, nearly 75% of the respondents prefer to travel for business and undertake health screenings. These passengers (identified as "captive" business travellers) perceive such measures necessary to lower health related risks during air travel. As such, they are willing to spend up to 21 to 38 min on the health control measures such as vaccination record requirements and test involving sample collection. When an online meeting is applicable, the share of "choice" business travellers is about 45%, among whom the attitudes towards health control measures become more averse. The average weighted willingness-to-pay for the time saved at health checkpoints increase significantly. The aviation industry thus faces a "double-hit" problem: operation costs will increase due to pandemic control measures, and the resultant inconvenience, extra time and costs further reduces travel demand. Unlike previous short pandemics, business travel is likely to suffer with an extended decline until the pandemic is fully controlled. These identified challenges call for financial and operational support to help the aviation industry reach a sustainable "new normal". The high value of time saved at check points also justifies investments that make the pandemic control and health measures efficient and smooth. Travellers' time spent on airport health control should be within 20 min to avoid substantial negative impacts on business travel demand.
本研究量化了机场健康控制措施对与商务旅行相关的乘客行为的影响。在新冠疫情背景下，对香港潜在航空旅客进行了一项陈述偏好调查。估计了面板潜在类别模型，以了解在在线会议适用的情况下乘客对新旅行要求的偏好。在线会议适用于它是航空旅行的良好替代品且能实现相同旅行结果的情况，否则不适用。实证结果表明，旅客亚群体受到的影响各不相同。当在线会议不适用时，近75%的受访者更愿意出差并接受健康检查。这些乘客（被认定为“受限”商务旅客）认为此类措施对于降低航空旅行期间与健康相关的风险是必要的。因此，他们愿意在疫苗接种记录要求和涉及样本采集的检测等健康控制措施上花费多达21至38分钟。当在线会议适用时，“选择型”商务旅客的比例约为45%，他们对健康控制措施的态度变得更加反感。在健康检查站节省时间的平均加权支付意愿显著增加。航空业因此面临“双重打击”问题：由于疫情防控措施，运营成本将会增加，而由此带来的不便、额外时间和成本进一步降低了旅行需求。与以往的短期疫情不同，商务旅行可能会在疫情得到全面控制之前持续下降。这些已确定的挑战需要财政和运营支持，以帮助航空业实现可持续的“新常态”。在检查站节省时间的高价值也证明了进行投资以使疫情防控和健康措施高效且顺畅的合理性。旅客在机场健康控制上花费的时间应在2０分钟以内，以避免对商务旅行需求产生重大负面影响。
