Passenger perceptions on sustainable propulsion systems: which factors mediate or moderate the relationship

Abstract

The purpose of these studies was to examine how the type of propulsion system impacted the willingness to fly in a hypothetical scenario. Using a sample of 624 participants from the USA across two studies, it was found, in general, that participants were most willing to fly using traditional jet fuel or a biofuel followed by battery/electric and then solar-powered aircraft. There were no significant differences based on participant gender, any significant interactions nor any significant mediators between the type of propulsion and the willingness to fly. Still, familiarity with sustainability, willingness to pay for sustainability, and environmental commitment were found to be significant moderators. In cases where participants had high levels of the three moderating variables, they were significantly more willing to fly using sustainable propulsion systems than compared to low levels of the moderating variables. The study concludes with a discussion of these findings and the practical applications of this research.