From Communication to Comprehension: Reframing Airport Information as a Determinant of Passenger Communication Wellness

Airport information is commonly assessed through availability, accuracy and speed. However, a message may reach passengers without being understood, particularly during disruption or when there is an occurrence of channels conflict. This concept paper proposed an Airport Communication-to-Comprehension Framework that incorporates professional communication, airport operations, accessibility research and Malaysian legal communication principles. The framework employs problem-driven integrative synthesis uses sections 2(a), 2(b), 3 and 4(1) of the Contracts Act 1950 as a conceptual lens, without treating every airport message as contractual. In establishing the conceptual foundation, the synthesis incorporates professional communication, uncertainty management, plain-language standards, airport wayfinding and service research as well as Malaysian legal communication. These sources were utilized for their relevance to the framework rather than to provide an exhaustive systematic review. The six stages are treated as sequentially connected and conditional mechanisms rather than independent dimensions. The framework distinguishes between information provision, transmission, accessibility, reception, comprehension, and actionability. It proposes that these stages shape passenger communication wellness through clarity, reduced uncertainty, confidence, lower cognitive burden and a sense of control. This study contributes by locating a critical gap between legal or technical reception and usable understanding and offers four propositions for empirical testing and practical guidance for coordinated, inclusive and passenger-centred airport communication.

airport communication; passenger comprehension; communication wellness; professional communication; Contracts Act 1950

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