Joanna Geraghty becomes the first woman to lead a major U.S. airline

11-01-24

• The hitherto COO assumes the position following the resignation of Robin Hayes after nine years at the helm of the carrier

Low-cost airline JetBlue has announced a change of CEO following the resignation of Robin Hayes. The latter will be succeeded by Joanna Geraghty, who until now held the position of Chief Operating Officer of the company. Geraghty thus becomes the first woman to lead a major U.S. airline. She will take over effective February 12.

"It is bittersweet to retire from this airline that I love [...] For nearly 35 years, both at British Airways and here at JetBlue, I have loved working in this industry. However, the extraordinary challenges and pressure of the job have taken their toll and, on the advice of my doctor, it is time for me to focus more on my health and well-being," explained an emotional Hayes. "It has been a privilege to lead JetBlue for the past nine years and I am proud of all that we have accomplished," he concluded.

"I am honored and excited to be JetBlue's next CEO. [...] I am very proud of what we have accomplished over the past 20 years and look forward to building on this momentum as we execute on our strategic initiatives, return to profitable growth and generate sustainable value for our shareholders and all of our stakeholders," said Geraghty.

During her nearly 20-year career at JetBlue, Geraghty, in addition to chief operating officer, has held several senior positions, including executive vice president of JetBlue Customer Experience, with responsibility for airports, customer care and in-flight service. She has also served as Executive Vice President, Personnel, as well as Chief Legal Officer. She has also served as a member of the JetBlue Foundation Board of Directors.

It is noteworthy that this CEO change comes a year and a half after one of JetBlue's most ambitious transactions: the purchase of Spirit Airlines, in which, according to Hayes, Geraghty was very actively involved. He has also been a key part of the interline integration.