JetBlue Airways has announced a significant leadership change, appointing Joanna Geraghty as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective February 12, 2024.
Geraghty, who currently holds the positions of President and Chief Operating Officer at the company, will succeed Robin Hayes. Hayes, meanwhile, will maintain his involvement with JetBlue, transitioning to a role on the Board of Directors and serving as a strategic advisor in the coming months.
Geraghty’s appointment marks the culmination of her nearly two-decade-long tenure at JetBlue, during which she has held multiple key positions.
In 2018, she ascended to the role of President and Chief Operating Officer, overseeing the airline’s operational and commercial aspects, including network planning, brand and marketing, and revenue management.
Her career at JetBlue also includes serving as Executive Vice President of Customer Experience, where she was responsible for airports, customer support, and inflight service, and earlier as Executive Vice President, Chief People Officer, and Vice President, Associate General Counsel, and Director of Litigation and Regulatory Affairs. In addition to her corporate roles, Geraghty has been an active member of the JetBlue Foundation’s board.
Before her career at JetBlue, Geraghty practiced law as a partner at Holland & Knight. She also holds multiple board positions, including a seat on the board of directors of L3Harris Technologies and as chairperson of the board of Concern Worldwide, an international not-for-profit organization.
Geraghty’s educational background includes a bachelor’s degree from the College of the Holy Cross, a master’s in international relations from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and a J.D. from Syracuse University College of Law.
Geraghty said, “I am honored and excited to serve as the next CEO of JetBlue. With a beloved brand, an industry-leading customer experience, a unique culture, and the industry’s best crewmembers, JetBlue has long been a disruptor. I’m excited to continue working with JetBlue’s 25,000 crewmembers who are as energized as I am about challenging the status quo and bringing humanity to an industry long dominated by the legacy carriers. I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished over the last 20-plus years, and I am looking 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 our stakeholders.”