This survey of 343 Lao and international passengers at Wattay International, Luang Prabang, and Oudomxay airports examined air demand in the context of competition with the Laos–China railway; 85.4% of respondents had used that railway. A WLSMV structural-equation model linked perceived air-travel effectiveness with the air-travel decision, the decision with satisfaction, and satisfaction with reuse or recommendation intention. Effectiveness had no significant direct association with satisfaction. The results support a multi-stage process among air passengers but do not measure actual ticket purchases or revealed mode choice among rail passengers.
Key findings
- Perceived air-travel effectiveness was associated with the air-travel decision, β=0.541, SE=0.043, p
- The air-travel decision was associated with satisfaction, β=0.784, and satisfaction with behavioural intention, β=0.776; both p
- The indirect effect of effectiveness on satisfaction through decision was 0.424, while the serial indirect effect on intention through decision and satisfaction was 0.326; both p
Why this matters globally
The study frames intermodal demand as involving both pre-decision information and post-use experience, which can inform service and transport planning where aviation competes with high-speed rail in an emerging market. Timetables, access, price information, and service quality may need coordinated attention. The model does not estimate price elasticity, market share, actual journey time, emissions, or policy effects, so it cannot directly predict passenger switching between modes.
Thai researcher contribution
Sakkarin Nonthapot, Angwara Nasoontorn, and Sukanya Sirimat of Khon Kaen University's Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies in Nong Khai worked with Souphanouvong University researchers in Laos. Khon Kaen University funded the work through Research Program grant RP 2568-5, linking Thai expertise with a cross-border Mekong transport question.
Limitations to consider
A single cross-sectional survey cannot establish causal ordering even when the SEM specifies mediation. Participants were air passengers at three airports, with no rail-only comparison group, and the outcomes were perceptions and intentions rather than observed ticket purchases. Provincial tourism counts proxied Oudomxay air-passenger volume, adding sampling uncertainty, while 83.1% of respondents had at least a bachelor's degree. Two first-order dimensions had AVE just below 0.50, and the AIR–SAT correlation of 0.748 slightly exceeded SAT's square-root AVE of 0.745, indicating some construct overlap.