Name: Allison Ausband
Title: Senior vice president, inflight service
Company, city: Delta Air Lines; Atlanta, Ga.
Number of employees: 80,000
Recent project: Improving Delta’s Main Cabin experience, refining the flow of service and offering more thoughtful, distinctive choices for passengers
First job: At 15 I worked at an ice cream parlor. The role taught me to test the product and to be creative.
Little-known fact about you: I was a morning radio announcer at a local Easy Listening station.
Your Business
What innovations/initiatives do you foresee in the industry over the next years? The industry is moving toward giving customers meaningful choice and tailored experiences. We consider the needs of millennials, frequent business travelers and everyone in between when designing service options. Expect advances in identification and tracking technology: RFID bag tags are already speeding travel through airports, and ID technology is likely to evolve further to make the journey smoother. Pilots will have access to more real-time information — for example, apps that deliver turbulence data to help improve passenger comfort and route planning. Delta’s Sky Pro platform is another example of innovation that enables more personalized service: by recognizing Medallion members, milestone travelers and customers with connections, we can greet people by name, anticipate needs and create more individualized experiences. Our goal is to turn customers into raving fans by delivering an elevated and distinctive level of service.
Best career advice you’ve received: The best advice I received was to raise my hand — to volunteer, take risks and put myself forward. That helped me become more courageous and less concerned with perfection.
What advice would you give someone starting out in the field? Find a strong mentor, whether inside or outside your company or industry. Having someone in your corner makes a big difference. This industry has been predominantly male, and I learned to be comfortable with that environment and to use it as a strength when the opportunity arose.
Allison Ausband as a Traveler
Favorite travel memory or story: One of my most memorable trips was spending 36 hours in Bangkok with my family. I worked and then enjoyed the city with them before returning home — a rewarding blend of work and family time.
One travel tip you cannot live without: Sign up for Clear to speed up airport screening. It offers significant time savings and a smoother security experience.
Best advice for business travelers: Join SkyMiles. It provides benefits like priority boarding and the peace of mind that your miles won’t expire.
About Delta Air Lines
What advice would you share with someone interested in beginning a career as a flight attendant? Flight attendant work is incredibly rewarding. When I look out the window and reflect on the role, I am struck by how unique it is. The job teaches practical skills like CPR, safety procedures and emergency evacuation, in addition to customer service. To succeed you need a genuine heart for people, adaptability, resilience and the ability to stay calm when unexpected situations arise — whether on the ground or in the air.
Tell our readers a fun fact about Delta’s training program. Delta’s training is highly competitive. This year we received more than 146,000 applications for 1,100 openings, and the selection process is rigorous. Once accepted, trainees enter an intensive eight-week boot camp where they’re tested on every aspect of every aircraft in our fleet. The program quickly immerses new hires in Delta’s culture and expectations.
What is your favorite feature of Delta’s onboard products and services? I’m excited by our partnership with Alessi — the elegant wine carafe, heart-shaped spoons and other service pieces are both stylish and functional. Alessi and Delta share a commitment to creativity and innovation. I’m also looking forward to new culinary offerings, like Jon & Vinny’s meatballs on select in-flight menus, which add a fresh, regional touch to our onboard dining.