Airline Weekly Lounge The Joanna Geraghty Interview
Dec 25, 2025
Joanna Geraghty, CEO of JetBlue, brings her extensive airline expertise to the discussion. She highlights the challenges smaller carriers face in the U.S., stressing the need for a fairer competitive landscape. Geraghty also details JetBlue's strategic partnerships, including the Blue Sky tie-up with United, and outlines her optimism for 2026, driven by innovation and expanded premium offerings. She shares insights on improving air traffic control and the impact of international slot allocations on new entrants like JetBlue.
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Proactivity Can Increase Short-Term Risk
- JetBlue was more impacted by the A320 software rollback because it had proactively rolled out the version across more aircraft and some with non-reprogrammable ELAC boxes.
- That proactive implementation meant longer recovery times when regulators required a rollback and replacement of hardware off-wing.
A Month Of Simultaneous Crises
- Geraghty recounted a punishing month for JetBlue: hurricane in Jamaica, government shutdown, and the Airbus AD all hit in quick succession.
- She praised her team for navigating the operational complexity and minimizing customer disruption during the weekend.
Scale Shapes Competitive Advantage
- Joanna Geraghty argues the U.S. market is concentrated: four airlines hold ~80% and JetBlue sits at ~5% share, creating structural disadvantages for smaller carriers.
- She highlights purchasing power, airport fees, loyalty reach, and access barriers as core scale disadvantages that compound over time.