Abstract—The service quality is a significant element in aviation industry especially in the international airports. Through this paper, the researchers built a model based on Lean six sigma methodologies and applied it in the departure area at KKIA (King Khalid International Airport) in order to assess it. This model characterized with many special features that can become over the cultural differences in aviation industry since it is considered the most critical circumstance in this field. Applying the model of this study is depending on following the DMAIC procedure systemized in lean thinking aspects. This model of Lean-six-sigma as a managerial procedure is mostly focused on the change management culture that requires high level of planning, organizing, modifying, and controlling in order to benefit from strengths as well as revoke weaknesses. Keywords—Lean-six-sigma, Service quality, Aviation industry, KKIA (King Khalid International Airport), SERVQUAL. I. INTRODUCTION S a managerial procedure of continues improvement(CI), lean-six-sigma is considered a process that can improve services or products continuously in order to achieve high product/service quality, competitive costs and reduced delivery times, leading to the satisfaction of customers [1]. The aviation industry nowadays requires continuous improvement to raise the levels of customers’ satisfaction. This satisfaction can be achieved through many managerial procedures (such as lean-six-sigma procedures), in order to ensure the business’s viability. Airports are complex organizations whose areas of comparative advantages and efficiency hinge on elements that the airport management is more likely to control and on applying the lean six-sigma philosophy in such areas. This will ideally result in the optimization of resources, efficiency in performance and the continuous gradual reduction of all forms of waste [2]. This research considers the application and possible implementation of lean six-sigma in the aviation sector, with specific consideration of King Khalid International Airport T. M. Al muhareb worked at King Khalid International Airport (KKIA) in Saudi Arabia, and he is with the Department of Mechanical and Marine Engineering, School of Marine Science and Engineering (Faculty of Science & Environment) Plymouth University, Devon, PL4 8AA UK (phone: +447527867772; fax: +44 (0)1752 586101; e-mail: muhareb40@ gmail.com). J. Graham-Jones, Associate Professor, is with the Department of Mechanical and Marine Engineering, School of Marine Science and Engineering (Faculty of Science & Environment) Plymouth University, Devon, PL4 8AA, UK (phone: +441752586176; fax: +44 (0)1752 586101; e- mail: jasper.graham-jones@plymouth.ac.uk). (KKIA) as a case study. KKIA in Riyadh is one of the three main international airports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Since 1983, when it was opened, it has been the gateway to the capital of the kingdom, Riyadh. The airport is located approximately 25 kilometers away from Riyadh’s city centre [3]. II. PROBLEM STATEMENT KKIA in general and the departure hall in particular suffer from an insufficient applied quality management system. A more robust system would contribute to the identification of problems and solutions and provide a database to measure and monitor the provided quality of service and the extent of development. There is also a lack of a scientific method and modern management to determine the level of maturity in the provided quality of service. These gaps have been revealed from the analysis of the managerial procedures followed at KKIA. This study focused on improving the quality management in the departure area at KKIA in detail, as well as creating a design of managerial model based on lean-six-sigma methodologies. The fact that KKIA operates in a vital sector is important, particularly as there are many services and businesses that operate under its care. Considerable attention has been paid to KKIA’s levels of service quality, especially in the departure hall. Hence, this study focused on the improvement of the service quality in the departure area at KKIA through the use of a quality management model based on lean-six-sigma methodologies. III. METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH This study will use a kind of descriptive analytical methods of the case study, and evaluate the level of services LOS provided within the departure hall at King Khalid International Airport, in order to achieve the desired results of the study. The quantitative and qualitative approaches were used to measure customers’ satisfaction through the steps of implementing the lean-six-sigma procedures at the airport management. A questionnaire that is based on the SERVQUAL model was distributed among the passengers in the departure area at KKIA to assess the level of service LOS and their satisfaction. In addition to that, some interviews were conducted with managers and managerial employees in the departure area at KKIA. Using Lean Six-Sigma in the Improvement of Service Quality at Aviation Industry: Case Study at the Departure Area in KKIA T. M. Al Muhareb, J. Graham-Jones A World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Social, Management, Economics and Business Engineering Vol:8 No:1, 2014 145 International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 8(1) 2014 International Science Index Vol:8, No:1, 2014 waset.org/Publication/9997202