Predicting Safety Reporting Intentions in Aviation Safety Management: A Regression-Based Approach to Culture and Trust Factors

Abstract

Safety reporting is a crucial element in implementing the Safety Management System (SMS) in the aviation industry, particularly in airport operational environments. However, underreporting remains a significant challenge in detecting risks and preventing incidents. Previous studies have highlighted the importance of safety culture and trust in management as factors influencing reporting behavior; however, most studies remain descriptive and have not tested the predictive power of both variables simultaneously using an inferential statistical approach. This study fills this gap by applying a multiple linear regression model to examine the extent to which safety culture and trust in management can predict airport personnel's intention to report safety issues. Using a quantitative approach and cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 150 respondents from various operational units at the airport. The results of the analysis show that both independent variables—safety culture and trust in management—have a positive and significant effect on safety reporting intention, both simultaneously and partially. Trust in management has a greater impact than safety culture, highlighting the importance of perceptions of managerial fairness and integrity in promoting reporting. This study makes a novel contribution to the aviation safety literature by providing strong empirical evidence on the combined role of culture and trust in shaping reporting behavior. The findings also provide practical implications that strategies for improving safety reporting should include strengthening safety culture and building trust-based relationships between management and personnel.