JetBlue CEO Gets Candid About Low Employee Morale, Not “Winning”

JetBlue has had a rough several years, coming out of the pandemic. The airline has struggled with profitability, and the current management team is trying to right the ship. Along those lines, JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty made some interesting comments to employees in recent days, addressing the frustration that so many JetBlue employees feel.

JetBlue CEO acknowledges low employee morale

@xJonNYC reports on some interesting comments recently made by JetBlue’s CEO, in a conversation with employees. According to this report, Geraghty got surprisingly candid, saying:

“When you’re not profitable for six years, you don’t feel like you’re winning. We need to get everyone onboard with JetForward, to see it’s working and we’re moving in a more positive direction. It’s not just limited to inflight, it’s also at corporate, where people are like ‘another year of no profitability and then there will be a seventh to be clear,’ and probably an eighth. So we’re in a very challenging situation.”

Even when an airline is in a tough spot, it’s rare to see an airline CEO get that honest about the state of things, both in terms of reflecting on the current reality of employee morale, and in terms of being honest about future prospects.

I have faith in JetBlue’s current management team

Keep in mind that JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty and JetBlue President Marty St. George have been in their current roles for just over a year now, and they’ve certainly had their work cut out for them.

For one, previous JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes just seemed to be living on a different planet in terms of his priorities. He was more obsessed with sexy Europe flying and taking over Spirit, than on actually running a reliable operation, and trying to improve yields for the core of the carrier’s business. The company just totally lacked a strategy under him.

So not only have Geraghty and St. George been faced with that reality, but they’ve also dealt with how post-pandemic demand patterns have evolved, as those haven’t been kind to smaller airlines.

I think JetBlue’s current management team has the right approach, though perhaps my only criticism is that I think they’re moving too slow. For example, I think JetBlue desperately needs to introduce first class ASAP, given the markets the airline operates in. The fact that JetBlue hasn’t historically offered first class on non-Mint routes borders on criminal.

There’s no reason that JetBlue shouldn’t be able to get into Alaska’s league when it comes to margins, and I think JetBlue is slowly learning that lesson. From investing in its loyalty program, to introducing first class, my hope is that JetBlue will be a much healthier airline a few years down the road. The new United partnership is an interesting angle as well, and hopefully Star Alliance membership is next.

Bottom line

In a discussion with employees, JetBlue’s CEO has acknowledged the low morale at the company, and the lack of “winning.” The airline has been losing money for years, but the management team is trying to improve things. Admittedly it’s a long road, though. I commend Geraghty for her efforts, and hope things keep moving in the right direction.

What do you make of Geraghty’s comments?