This study focuses on the balance between hygiene factors of service quality and its cost. Concepts in trade-off
between hygiene service quality and cost is summarized, then empirical analysis is performed on practical
business to derive managerial implications. Zone of tolerance feature in service quality and trade-off relationship
between quality and cost will be used to develop concepts for trade-off on hygiene service quality and cost. Aircraft
maintenance in the air transport business is taken as an example of hygiene service. On-time performance is
considered second to safety as a quality criteria in the airline industry, thus it is adopted as a quality index in this
study. Trade-off relation between on-time performance and maintenance cost was not observed in the airline
industry as a whole, however there is such a relationship in particular airlines. In the airlines who evaluate its
quality with a function of maintenance cost, they are capable to optimize the business by properly controlling their
quality targets and cost standards. This could lead to advantage for themselves from the competitors.