Abstract
Several studies have found that women in good health are able to fly without concern for safety at any point before the 36th week of pregnancy. However, air transportation facilities and services are designed for general passengers and seldom consider the service needs of pregnant women. To understand the pregnant traveler's wants and needs, this study examined the perception of and satisfaction with air transportation services in a sample of female air passengers who boarded international flights during pregnancy. The results showed that the performance of service attributes, such as seat selection, user-friendly onboard restrooms, and assistance in boarding the aircraft, did not meet the respondents’ expectations. It was also found that the service needs of women less than 6 months pregnant differed from those of women more than 6 months pregnant.
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