Understanding the influence of airport servicescape on traveler dissatisfaction and misbehavior

Underpinned by complexity theory, this study investigates whether the influence of social and physical servicescape on international travelers’ dissatisfaction and misbehavior differs between two characteristically different international airports in Iran. Partial least squares (PLS) and multi-group analysis (MGA) were employed to test the conceptual model. The results revealed significant differences between the effects of physical servicescape on travelers’ dissatisfaction and misbehavior across both airports. However, the results did not support any differences between the effects of social servicescape on travelers’ dissatisfaction and misbehavior between both airports. Additionally, using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), this study identified multiple configurations of physical and social servicescape dimensions leading to traveler dissatisfaction and misbehavior. In doing so, the results highlighted the conditions leading to low traveler dissatisfaction and misbehavior scores, confirming the applicability of complexity theory in explaining international traveler behavior in airports, providing implications and directions for future research in the process.