Flying high or saying goodbye? passenger incivility and flight attendants’ turnover intention: A serial mediation model of surface acting and emotional exhaustion

Abstract

This study aims to examine a serial mediation model in which passenger incivility affects emotional labour (i.e. surface acting), which in turn influences emotional exhaustion, which ultimately increases the intention to leave among flight attendants. The mediating roles of surface acting and emotional exhaustion are also examined in this model. Data from a sample of 203 flight attendants of major airlines in China was collected and analysed. The results indicate that passenger incivility does not directly influence turnover intention but that the link is partially mediated by emotional exhaustion. However, surface acting was found not to mediate the relationship between passenger incivility and turnover intention. This study is among the first to highlight the consequences of passenger incivility in the Chinese aviation industry.