Title: Analysing optimal airline performance in India: a plithogenic sets approach to evaluation

Authors: Athira Mary Winny; V. Ravi

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mar Athanasius College of Engineering, Kothamangalam, Kochi, Kerala 686 666, India ' Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, Department of Space, Valiamala P.O., Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram 695 547, India

Abstract: COVID-19 wreaked havoc on the supply and demand chains of the aviation industry, paving the path for a global economic crisis. Every airline faced the challenge of prioritising passenger safety while simultaneously improving efficiency, lowering costs, and providing exceptional customer service in this environment. In this study, we suggest multi-criteria decision-making that combines plithogeny and the VIKOR methodologies to assess a pool of potential airlines and determine the optimal alternative that satisfies customer wants and expectations while ensuring airline sustainability. According to the study's findings, strict mask enforcement, the provision of PPE kits, the availability of flexible cancellation and travel voucher plans, the cleaning of the aircraft after each flight, and advanced boarding procedures combined with middle seat blocking were the four most crucial factors in evaluating airline service in the Indian context.

Keywords: plithogeny; plithogenic set; VIKOR; multicriteria decision making; airline industry.

DOI: 10.1504/IJKMTH.2024.140630

International Journal of Knowledge Management in Tourism and Hospitality, 2024 Vol.3 No.4, pp.312 - 333

Received: 18 Dec 2023
Accepted: 26 Dec 2023
Published online: 28 Aug 2024 *

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