Allison Ausband began her career with Delta Air Lines in 1985 as a flight attendant. Over the past 37 years, she has steadily risen through the ranks of the Atlanta-based company, including leading more than 20,000 Delta flight attendants as senior vice president of inflight service and also as vice president of sales for reservations and customer service. , where he was responsible for more than 37 million customer contacts across 10 engagement centers in four countries.
Now, Ausband is executive vice president and chief customer experience officer at Delta. It goes without saying that she is one of the most experienced executives in the travel industry, and also an expert in business travel preparation.
Ausband recently shared more the fortune about the essential items you never leave home without.
Reliable technology
I started my career at Delta as a flight attendant and picked up some packing habits that are hard to break. One lesson that has stuck with me all this time is reliability: even though I’m not a deep sleeper, I never wanted to be late for a trip as a flight attendant. An additional alarm clock was a must for me as a backup to my hotel room alarm clock and a wake up call. Technology has obviously come a long way since then, so I’ve gone from packing a physical alarm clock to making sure I have my power cords. Now, we organize all my chargers and adapters in our Someone Somewhere service kit; I have one in every bag. And I never leave home without my iPad.
Minimalist packaging style
I’m a minimalist when it comes to most of my travels; this is another habit that has stuck with me since my flight attendant days. I usually fly for business, so I only pack what I need; everything i’m flying wears off in the evening. No need for extra weight in the suitcase. And hey, less weight also means more fuel savings on the plane. A set of packing cubes is always handy, so I can separate what I need and see everything clearly in my suitcase.
Transitional dress and sneakers
I truly believe that a good pantsuit can work as armor, and it’s one of my favorite pieces to style. But the key here is that it is transitional. I always wear an outfit that can be worn with the same shoes I leave the house with. Sneakers are my new best friend with dresses. I’m definitely hitting my stride during my airport visits, and these platform sneakers are usually what you can find me in. They’re functional and comfortable, and dress the outfit low enough that I can wear it pulled together. clients and colleagues during the day and then dinner at night.
Breathable training clothes
I’m sure other road warriors can relate to the struggle of finding time to fit in a workout. I know my Apple Watch is constantly reminding me to close those pesky rings! So now, Lululemon running leggings are a staple when packing for any trip, business or pleasure. It is the only element that I do not contemplate. Having comfortable clothes that make me feel good makes the workout so much easier to complete. And luckily, when I don’t make it to ground training, I can still stretch out on board with one of our Peloton classes at Delta Studio.
Airplane-friendly skin care
Frequent flyers know that hydration is key at 30,000 feet, so another must for me is airplane-friendly skin care. We recently incorporated the clean beauty brand Grown Alchemist. They’re helping us stock our Delta One Amenity Kits with 100% natural, cruelty-free skin and body products. I’ve become addicted to their Vanilla Watermelon lip balm to keep my lips moisturized during travel; it has a permanent place in my carry-on.
This is an installment of Baggage Claim, a series featuring famous personalities from different backgrounds and industries, who reveal what they always pack when they travel, whether for business or pleasure.
