Allison Ausband
Allison Ausband oversees the end-to-end customer experience that includes the Innovation and Customer Experience teams and the 56,000 team members in Delta’s Airport Customer Service, In-Flight Service and Reservations and Customer Care divisions who deliver those experiences. In an extraordinary two years for commercial airlines, Allison and her team have continued to innovate to meet evolving customer expectations while providing peace of mind during times of rapid change.
I grew up in McDonough, Georgia – a tight-knit town outside of Atlanta. It was a place where people came together to support one another every day. One of my best friends, Donna Renfroe, also lived there, and we’ve been lucky to raise our children together. One of Donna’s daughters, Katie, is now 30 years old. Katie is autistic. For the last 30 years, I have watched Donna and her family work tirelessly to give Katie all that she deserves and navigate a life that has brought many unexpected turns.
April is World Autism Month, and as a family of frequent travelers, I know Donna has a valuable perspective to share. She graciously agreed to answer my questions on what it’s like to travel as the parent of someone with autism, share advice for other parents and customers who may find themselves on a flight with someone on the spectrum, and provide insights on how the airline industry can better support accessible travel.
Allison Ausband: Hi Donna, thanks for doing this.
Donna Renfroe: I’m honored to do it. And it’s timely because we just took Katie to Disney World, so travel is very fresh for us. She actually walked right into the cockpit on our flight and told the crew, “Hi, I’m going to Disney World. Don’t forget to come back and get me on Wednesday.” She figured it would be the same crew from her last flight.
Allison: [Laughs] That sounds like her! I’m sure she was happy they didn’t forget. Let’s start by having you tell us a little bit about Katie.
Donna: Katie is 30 years old and is severely autistic. Autism is a spectrum and there are varying degrees. Katie is minimally verbal. We live in Birmingham, Alabama, now and travel quite frequently. My daughter loves to ride rollercoasters, and Katie actually does very well on planes because it reminds her of a roller coaster and gives her a serotonin boost. So, traveling with her sometimes can be great, and sometimes, you just never know.
Allison: Katie is so friendly with everyone. She has no problem walking right up to people and saying “hi.” But what is a hurdle you consistently run into when traveling with her?
Donna: I’m concerned I’m going to lose her! We travel a lot. Katie has a watch that I can track, but navigating a busy airport, keeping an eye on her, and managing the boarding process, especially when I’m traveling alone, can be difficult. And of course, just making sure that she’s calm during the flight can be a hurdle.
Allison: Talk a little bit more about that. We never know what our customers are going through when they step on our planes. And we know that our flight crews are trained for any type of situation. But for those who aren’t familiar with autism and happen to be on a flight where someone is sensory overwhelmed, what would you want them to know? And how can they best handle it?
Donna: Definitely, I think less is more. I would say it’s always best to remain calm and be understanding of the situation. A flight attendant who offers their snack basket or drink cart selection, anything that gives them some individual attention, can help calm them down.
Allison: Accessibility in travel has come a long way, but we know there is still work to be done. From your perspective, what improvements could Delta and the industry make to our processes that would help your family?
Donna: I was once on a flight with a woman who discreetly handed out notecards to customers that said she had an autistic child with her and to please be patient. I thought it was such a great idea. I know customers can work with Reservations and Airport Customer Service to ensure crews are notified of someone traveling with an invisible disability who may need additional assistance before boarding – I think others would benefit from knowing that too.
[I’ve often thought that] having a pin or lanyard on for employees who have some experience with autism would be a massive help. It would also serve as an identifier for customers. I can sit here and tell you all about what to do, but when you have someone who’s lived it and understands it, that makes a big difference.
Allison: That’s a great idea. We have white glove service available for passengers traveling with assistive devices and do all that we can to make a customer’s journey run with ease – whether that is helping with communication, check in, boarding, deplaning or connecting to another flight.
At Delta, we believe travel is for everyone and are committed to accessible travel. We’ve made a conscious effort to create resources for customers, like our sensory rooms in airports, but in your opinion, why is it important that the airline industry continues to become more accessible for all passengers?
Donna: It’s so important. You know, a paraplegic ought to be able to travel, an autistic person ought to be able to travel, just like everyone else. If there’s a safari in Africa they want to go on, they should be able to. It breaks my heart when I hear people say, “Oh we can’t do that trip because we can’t fly.” Because we can always try, and we can try to make it as positive an experience as possible.
Allison: That’s a great point. I can imagine many parents of autistic children might hesitate when it comes to travel – even booking a trip is daunting. You and I have had a lot of conversations about flying with Katie. What advice would you give other parents who are considering flying?
Donna: Try it. Try it one time. I would think about the things that would keep them content, just like any other child – snacks, movie tablets, and comfortable headphones. Bring the things that you know would accommodate their behaviors. Let the people surrounding you know that you’re traveling with someone who is autistic because I think that gives you a calmness. People will understand. I’ve never had anyone that has not understood.
Allison: Empathy, caring and better understanding. At the end of the day, we care deeply about every one of our customers and forging human connection. Isn’t that what travel is all about? Speaking of empathy, what do you wish more people knew or understood about autism?
Donna: Just because they’re non-verbal, that’s okay. They understand other ways of language – a smile, a pat on the shoulder, or a nod of the head. I think people have a misconception that just because they can’t talk that they’re not relatable. A lot of autistic people flap their hands. When you see someone flapping their hands in front of their face, that’s an identifier of autism. So, because they have these behaviors that are recognizable, just say, “hey, how are you” and try to talk to them like a normal person.
Allison: That’s exactly right. Thanks for sharing your perspective with us, Donna. Katie is such a joy and has taught me a lot over the years. I am thankful to know her. Please let Katie know we’re ready to see her onboard again soon! And Donna, to watch you over the years give Katie every opportunity you could – even when a little hesitant to fly at first – it never stopped you. The world is a better place with parents like you!
All said, there is always more work to be done. In 2022, Delta joined airlines across the industry to create a Passenger Accessibility Commitment, which pledges to improve passenger accessibility at various points of the travel experience and complements the Department of Transportation’s Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights. We also have a long-standing Advisory Board on Disability composed of Delta frequent flyers who have disabilities and/or are experts on certain disabilities.
Delta has created several resources for customers to help make the travel journey an accessible one, including at:
- MSP: In partnership with the Metropolitan Airports Commission and the Airport Foundation Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Delta opened a one-of-a-kind facility that provides flyers with sensory, physical, or cognitive disabilities, those with a fear of flying and those with service dogs a place to experience a 33-foot-long mock aircraft cabin in a serene setting.
- ATL: Delta offers monthly tours where employee volunteers guide participants through experiences like TSA security screenings, exploring the terminal and boarding the plane. It gives customers the opportunity for a “practice run” in a hands-on environment.
- ATL and LGA: Delta has dedicated multi-sensory rooms for ticketed customers who need a safe space. You can call locate a Delta Red Coat for assistance onsite for access.
- Online: If you have a speech, communication-related or cognitive disability, you can indicate your preference of assistance by filling out the Accessibility Service Request form in My Trips and by notifying a Delta Representative of your service request upon arrival at the airport.
A number of other airports offer multisensory rooms for all customers, including:
- Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport: B Concourse beside Chick-fil-A
- Dublin Airport: beside the 400 gates
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport: F Concourse
- Myrtle Beach International Airport: Baggage Claim
- New York LaGuardia International Airport: Terminal C
- Pittsburgh International Airport: A Concourse
- Portland International Airport: Concourse D across from D11
- San Diego International Airport: Between entrance and exit of TSA
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport: ST Level A gates by the train
Travelers requiring special accommodations or those who have concerns about the security screening process at the airport may ask a TSA officer or supervisor for a passenger support specialist who can provide on-the-spot assistance.
At Delta, we’re serious about connecting the world. That means having empathy and understanding for the people who travel with us. Are we always going to get it right? No. But, we’re going to listen to everyone we serve, we’re going to learn, and we’re going to get better every time.
Allison Ausband oversees the end-to-end customer experience that includes the Innovation and Customer Experience teams and the 56,000 team members in Delta’s Airport Customer Service, In-Flight Service and Reservations and Customer Care divisions who deliver those experiences. In an extraordinary two years for commercial airlines, Allison and her team have continued to innovate to meet evolving customer expectations while providing peace of mind during times of rapid change.
There’s no doubt the past few years have been challenging for our people, our customers, our industry and the world. But the Delta team continues to lead the way in delivering an industry-leading customer experience and ensuring the future of travel is personalized, enjoyable and stress-free.
MORE ON INC.COM | With three sentences Delta Air Lines revealed an important truth about what customers really want
In January 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic brought everything to a standstill, Delta unveiled our vision for the future of travel at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. We showed off PARALLEL REALITY™ technology for the first time and shared a look at what a truly seamless airport experience could look like in the years ahead. Even though some of those ideas were temporarily put on hold due to the challenges of the pandemic, our team never lost its focus on bringing this ambitious vision to life.
The airport is a central part of the customer experience – and we know navigating such busy facilities can often be overwhelming. Thanks to a series of continuous airport infrastructure investments paired with truly exciting efforts in digital innovation, customers are beginning to see this concept come to life through Digital ID, PARALLEL REALITY™ and other experiences. And this is only the beginning. We’re laser-focused on making our airports “walking speed” – allowing our customers to journey through the airport at their own pace, hands-and touch-free.
Already this year, we’ve opened new terminals at LAX and New York-LGA that were thoughtfully redesigned with the customer in mind. One of the coolest aspects of the new T3 terminal at LAX is a 250-foot LED digital backwall in the lobby which spans the entire length of the check-in and bag drop counters. (Fun fact: It’s wider than both the wingspan and the nose-to-tail length of Delta’s flagship aircraft, the Airbus A350!) Currently, the screen shows dynamic content such as real-time Delta Sky Club volume indicators and flight status information, wayfinding in both English and Spanish, and intuitive icons to help guide customers based on their travel needs. A quick glance at the backwall allows our customers to easily absorb information as they navigate the check-in lobby. And there is so much more this technology will allow us to do in the months and years ahead.
A joint $2.3 billion investment to modernize and upgrade one of the airline’s key global hubs.
We unveiled domestic Digital ID technology at our Atlanta and Detroit hubs late last year, and we’ll soon make those capabilities available at our new terminals at LAX and LGA as well. Digital ID is facial matching technology that allows customers to opt in to check bags, go through security and board completely hands-free by using their digital identity, powered by TSA PreCheck. A “digital identity” is made up of a customer’s SkyMiles Member number, passport number and known traveler number from the TSA PreCheck or CBP Global Entry program.
Delta carries nearly 200 million customers each year. Each person who sits in our seats is important to us, and we demonstrate that by personalizing the travel experience in as many ways as we can, with the help of our people. We took a huge step forward in personalizing the customer journey when we launched the PARALLEL REALITY™ experience at Detroit Metropolitan Airport this past June. This mind-blowing technology, made possible through Delta’s partnership with tech startup Misapplied Sciences, was still in its conceptual phase in 2020. While we test this technology out at DTW, it is helping over 1,000 people seamlessly navigate the airport each day.
PARALLEL REALITY™ offers a large screen that displays personalized flight information, such as directions to the gate. Currently, customers can opt in to use this technology at the airport simply by scanning their paper or digital boarding pass. Up to 100 customers can share the screen at the same moment and see only their individualized information on the screen, with no hint of what those around them see.
I was in Detroit recently, and a customer walked by in a panic asking, “Which way do I go?” And then he looked up and saw the PARALLEL REALITY™ screen with his own information and said, “Oh! It’s right here for me. To the right, that’s easy.” This technology is for everyone, not just the tech-savvy or the travel pros. It was incredibly cool to see it in action and watch how it’s already taking some stress out of the airport experience.
Imagine a world where every airport flight information screen has PARALLEL REALITY™ technology – there are endless possibilities, all of which will enable these experiences to become routine. It’s about communicating with our customers in the simplest and most easily accessible of ways. Walking-speed airports are truly within reach.
As humans, we all want to feel valued. That’s why personalizing the customer experience is a priority for us. It’s one more way for us to say you matter and thank you for flying with Delta. There is no better time to keep climbing – I hope you’ll keep climbing with us to see our vision become reality.