The article chosen for review is titled, “Airport security and screening satisfaction: A case study of U.S” and was written by Sakano, Obeng & Fuller in 2016 and published in the Journal of Air Transport Management . The central thesis in this article is that there is a positive relationship between screening satisfaction and screening safety as well as a positive relationship between the perception of public transit safety and screening safety.
One important fact the authors use to support the thesis is that longer wait times at the airports elicit some doubts about the safety of air travel among travelers because they could think the stringent measures are a consequence of the risky nature of air travel. Secondly, the authors suggest that increases in screening and boarding times are likely to reduce the utility of air transport not only because of the inconvenience caused but also as a result of the mental perceptions that travelers form; detailed screening at the airports makes potential passengers to think air travel is unsafe, and therefore, will turn to alternative modes (Alards-Tomalin et al., 2014). Lastly, another important fact provided by the authors is that passengers who do not use public transportation frequently are less confident in the safety of air transport. This means that the perception of safety of air transport is actually based on people’s experiences as Beck et al. (2016) suggest in their article. The article uses robust resources in supporting and analyzing various aspects of the thesis statement especially in the literature review section. All articles are relevant to the topic although a vast number of them are not current. Most of the articles used in the study were not published within 5 years at the time of publishing the study. One would have expected a majority of the articles used to have been published between 2010 and 2016, to offer current information on the topic. Nevertheless, all articles are relevant and provide succinct information about the topic.
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The first strength of the study is that it gives a robust justification of airport security strengthening. And in this case, there is that mention of the September 11, 2001 attack in the United States where terrorists managed to somehow evade security checks and bombed the World Trade Center (Wood, 2017). On the part of the airports, definitely the article points out the importance of having stringent security measures, despite the demands from passengers or airport users to have convenience when traveling or using the various airports. A very important background is provided of other airports in the world, such as London, Brussels, Paris and Tokyo, which have previously experienced terrorist attacks. Therefore, the article gives the impression of being balanced in terms of addressing the needs of each party.
Secondly, the authors are consistent with the discussion of the topic, and use only those sources that are related to the topic at hand. In such an article, it is always important to use statistics from government bodies or certified bodies to explain or justify various phenomena. In this article, the authors reference the United States’ General Accounting Office, as well as use important statistics derived from a survey conducted by the Travel Leaders Group that presents the satisfaction level of passengers and how they perceive the safety of air travel. Therefore, the sources are authoritative and contribute to the credibility of the findings of the authors.
Thirdly, one of the most important strengths of the article is how the authors use data collected from passengers using multiple airlines. Definitely, in such an analysis, it is always necessary to collect raw data or first-hand information to complement the findings derived from secondary data sources. The authors already stated their hypothesis in the introduction, and needed to test it and prove their assumptions. The data collection method, which is quantitative (collection of responses from passengers) provides that raw data that depicts the real situation in airports and passengers’ experiences. Some passengers in the study are frustrated, and others satisfied, and the mixture of feelings in the study and the underlying reasons give the authors the opportunity to analyze it and compare it to their assumptions. Therefore, the data collections tools or strategies contribute to the authenticity of the study, and subsequently, credibility.
Nevertheless, the weakness of the study is that it tests numerous hypotheses in an attempt to justify the main thesis, and this to some extent brings about the issues of logical flow of the article, and consequently, causes confusion. For instance, the authors compare the safety perception levels of males versus females, and in one hypothesis, state that female travelers perceive a lower level of screening safety. At this point, the article seems to lose traction because the topic under discussion is supposed to be dealt with at a general level; splitting the topic into various categories means proposing interventions for particular small groups, which may be strenuous and inconsequential.
To conclude, the article addresses the importance of airport security agents as well as relevant authorities to create positive perceptions on airport safety among passengers, and that the screening process and measures at the airport influence passengers’ perceptions. The greatest strength of the article is that it uses multiple credible sources, which are also relevant to the topic. However, the weaknesses of the study regard the use of old sources, and the authors’ use of multiple hypotheses, which make it difficult for readers to follow the main hypothesis, and understand important discussions.
References
Alards-Tomalin, D., Ansons, T. L., Reich, T. C., Sakamoto, Y., Davie, R., Leboe-McGowan, J. P., & Leboe-McGowan, L. C. (2014). Airport security measures and their influence on enplanement intentions: Responses from leisure travelers attending a Canadian University. Journal of Air Transport Management , 37 , 60-68.
Beck, M. J., Rose, J. M., & Merkert, R. (2016). Localized incidences of terrorism and their impact on perceived security of international air travel (No. 16-5039).
Sakano, R., Obeng, K., & Fuller, K. (2016). Airport security and screening satisfaction: A case study of US. Journal of Air Transport Management , 55 , 129-138.
Wood, S. (2017). Terrorism in aviation: going on holiday? Young travellers take longer to pass through security. International Journal of Safety and Security in Tourism/Hospitality .
