Work, Life, and Experience in Indian Aviation: A Cabin Crew Study

Abstract

This study examines how Quality of Work Life (QWL) shapes service outcomes by influencing Quality of Life (QOL) among cabin crew in the Indian aviation industry. Drawing on an interpretivist approach, the study employs reflexive thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with cabin crew across domestic and international airlines. The findings reveal a structured experiential chain in which demanding work conditions—characterized by temporal compression, emotional labour, and limited organizational support—erode employee well-being, which in turn influences the Quality of Experience (QOE) delivered to passengers. The analysis identifies QOL as a critical mediating mechanism linking work conditions to service outcomes. By integrating the Job Demands–Resources model with the Service-Profit Chain, the study develops a QWL–QOL–QOE framework that extends existing theory into a service-mediated experiential context. The findings contribute to aviation and HR literature by demonstrating how employee well-being functions as a dynamic process shaping customer experience, with implications for workforce design, fatigue management, and service strategy in high-intensity service environments.