Online drivers of consumer purchase of website airline tickets

Abstract

This study aims to examine the different drivers of online airline ticket purchasing behavior and to validate a new conceptual framework (Venkatesh et al., 2012) in this context. Based on the Extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2), this paper includes seven explanatory variables: performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, price saving, and habit. Data from 1360 usable questionnaires, collected in Spain, were tested against the research model. Our findings indicate that the main predictors of online purchase intention are, in order of relevance, habit, price saving, performance expectancy, and facilitating conditions. However, there is no significant impact of effort expectancy on the online purchase intention, social influence from referents; and hedonic motivation to use the website. On the other hand, the results highlight that the main predictors of use behavior are, in order of importance, online purchase intention, habit, and facilitating conditions.