Explore publications.

The airline industry faces persistent profitability pressure stemming from high fixed costs, intense competition, and macroeconomic volatility. Since the entry of low-cost carriers (LCCs), ancillary revenue—defined as income generated from services and products supplementary to the core ticket—has evolved from a peripheral activity into a strategic financial pillar for both full-service and low-cost airlines. This study investigates the determinants of passenger willingness to pay (WTP) for à la carte ancillary services and identifies behavioural and demographic profiles that predict purchase frequency. Using a survey of 254 air travellers and a multi-method statistical approach (Chi-square tests, Mann–Whitney U tests, and Kruskal–Wallis with Bonferroni-corrected pairwise comparisons), six hypotheses are tested. The results demonstrate that (i) passengers familiar with à la carte services allocate significantly larger travel budgets to such services (p < .05); (ii) frequent travellers (>5 flights/year) are significantly more likely to purchase à la carte services (χ² = 8.44, p < .01); (iii) frequent-flyer programme (FFP) members purchase ancillary services at substantially higher rates (χ² = 9.70, p < .01); and (iv) contrary to common managerial intuition, short-haul passengers purchase à la carte services more frequently than long-haul passengers (χ² = 4.51, p < .05). Wi-Fi access is valued across all age cohorts without statistically significant differences. The findings extend the revenue management literature by empirically validating familiarity and loyalty-programme membership as the strongest behavioural predictors of à la carte WTP, and offer actionable guidance for targeted personalisation, segmentation, and dynamic pricing strategies. Implications for machine-learning-driven ancillary recommendation systems are also discussed in light of recent advances in offer management (2022–2025).

This study examines the ethical beliefs of Turkish consumers using a modified version of the Muncy-Vitell Consumer Ethics Scale (CES). Turkey’s ethical climate faces challenges such as copyright violations, environmental pollution, deceptive advertising, unsafe products, bribery, and ethical misconduct in business and politics. Focusing on frequent purchasers, the research assesses consumer ethics in shopping behaviors. While prior studies suggest some Turkish consumers engage in unethical practices, this study reveals a heightened sensitivity toward unethical behavior among respondents. Given Turkey’s status as a Muslim-majority country, the influence of Islamic ethical principles on consumption patterns warrants deeper investigation. The findings contribute to understanding how cultural and religious values shape consumer ethics in emerging markets, offering insights for policymakers and businesses aiming to promote ethical consumption.