Facility Factors for Thai Elderly Affecting Service Quality in Passenger Terminals of International Airports in Northern Thailand

Abstract

As Thailand rapidly transitions into a super-aged society, adapting public transportation infrastructure to accommodate the biological and psychological realities of older adults has become a strategic necessity. This study aims to investigate the specific behaviors and facility requirements of Thai elderly passengers, examine how these physical needs correlate with perceived service quality, and propose guidelines for the development of age-friendly facilities in international passenger terminals in Northern Thailand.

Employing a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from a purposive sample of 400 Thai elderly passengers (aged 60 and above) who actively utilized these aviation hubs. A structured questionnaire was utilized to assess demographic profiles, the prioritization of nine specific facility factors, and perceived service quality across five dimensions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, One-way ANOVA, and Pearson’s Product-Moment Correlation.

The findings revealed that elderly passengers rated their requirement for age-friendly facilities at the “Highest” level. The three most critical infrastructural priorities were elderly-accessible restrooms ( = 4.52), continuous anti-slip walkways ( = 4.47), and strategically distributed seating and waiting areas ( = 4.41). Overall perceived service quality was also rated highly, predominantly driven by the Tangibles and Empathy dimensions. Hypothesis testing demonstrated that while gender had no significant effect, age, educational level, and crucially, the severity of physical limitations significantly altered service quality perceptions. Furthermore, a strong, statistically significant positive correlation (r = 03683, p < .001) was identified between the provision of required facility factors and overall perceived service quality.

The study concludes that for the elderly demographic, physical infrastructure transcends mere convenience; it is a fundamental determinant of safety, dignity, and passenger experience. In an aviation context, tangible facilities functionally operationalize empathy and assurance. To prepare for the silver economy, the research recommends that airport authorities prioritize implementing universal design in sanitary facilities, optimize spatial mobility by using high-friction flooring, deploy ergonomic seating at high-stress bottlenecks, and mandate gerontological sensitivity training for ground personnel. Theoretically, this study contributes to aviation management literature by demonstrating that for vulnerable demographic groups, physical infrastructure strongly shapes the perception of empathy and assurance.