CONSUMER’S PERCEPTIONS OF ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT IN GUANGDONG PROVINCE (CHINA): AN EXPLORATORY STUDY BASED ON THE THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOR.

Abstract

ALL-ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT (AEA) HAVE GARNERED SIGNIFICANT ATTENTION DUE TO THEIR POTENTIAL TO ACHIEVE ZERO CARBON EMISSIONS AND REDUCE NOISE POLLUTION, CONTRIBUTING TO GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY. THIS STUDY EXAMINES CONSUMER BEHAVIOURAL INTENTIONS TOWARD AEA IN GUANGDONG, CHINA, USING THE THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOR (TPB) AS THE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK. DATA WERE COLLECTED THROUGH STRUCTURED QUESTIONNAIRES DISTRIBUTED TO 100 POTENTIAL ADOPTERS, ASSESSING THEIR AWARENESS, INFLUENCING FACTORS, AND WILLINGNESS TO ADOPT THE TECHNOLOGY. STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING (SEM) WAS EMPLOYED TO ANALYSE THE RESPONSES. THE FINDINGS INDICATE THAT CONSUMERS’ ATTITUDES, SUBJECTIVE NORMS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS POSITIVELY INFLUENCE THEIR ADOPTION OF AEAS. INTERESTINGLY, PERCEIVED BEHAVIOURAL CONTROL AND PERCEIVED RISK WERE FOUND TO HAVE NO SIGNIFICANT EFFECT. THESE INSIGHTS OFFER PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR ACCELERATING AEA ADOPTION IN GUANGDONG'S AVIATION SECTOR. FOR AIRLINES, THE RESULTS HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF EMPHASISING ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS AND SOCIAL ENDORSEMENTS IN MARKETING CAMPAIGNS. MANUFACTURERS CAN STRENGTHEN SAFETY PERCEPTIONS TO ALIGN WITH CONSUMER EXPECTATIONS, WHILE POLICYMAKERS MAY CONSIDER INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS TO MITIGATE ADOPTION BARRIERS. COLLECTIVELY, THESE MEASURES COULD FOSTER BROADER ACCEPTANCE OF AEAS, SUPPORTING REGIONAL DECARBONISATION GOALS IN THE REGIONAL AIR TRANSPORT SECTOR.