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Robin Hayes raked in some of his greatest payment for the duration of his 8-year tenure as JetBlue CEO while the carrier struggled to achieve profitability in 2023. 
Previous JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes manufactured all over $10.8 million in whole compensation in 2023, his maximum choose house pay back in the past two decades, in accordance to a proxy assertion JetBlue submitted Friday.
Through 2021 and 2022, Hayes compensation totaled about $3.5 million.
In 2023, the former JetBlue chief govt gained a $3 million bonus the best reward hes earned given that his tenure at JetBlue. He also raked in around $5.4 million in inventory awards.The $3 million reward was component of an executive retention award, which JetBlues govt payment committee introduced in 2021 to motivate executives to continue being at the enterprise for the duration of the pandemic.
Hayes declared in January he would move down as CEO a role he had held given that 2015 because of to overall health factors. His successor, then-main operating officer Joanna Geraghty grew to become the 1st lady to guide a significant U.S. airline.
As element of Geraghtys CEO deal, she will obtain a foundation income of $700,000 and is qualified for an once-a-year incentive bonus thats 175% above her shell out concentrate on. She is also eligible for a one particular-time award of restricted stock models valued at $2 million that wont be vested till May possibly 31, 2026. Hayes foundation bay in 2023 was $722,917.
Hayes, who was also an executive at British Airways, initial joined JetBlue in 2008 as the airways chief industrial officer.
A Tenure With Combined Outcomes
Hayes tenure at JetBlue observed mixed final results he preferred JetBlue to expand beyond a compact, small-value provider, one that could successfully compete with the Large Four (American, Delta, United and Southwest).
The Northeast Alliance and merger with Spirit Airlines were two initiatives Hayes seriously championed to obtain this expansion but both have been struck down in court. JetBlue also designed a bid for Virgin America in 2016, but in the end shed to Alaska Airlines.
Article-pandemic, JetBlue had also been battling to obtain profitability because of climbing operational prices from new labor contracts and troubles with its Pratt & Whitney engines that induced it to floor various plane.
But Hayes tenure also experienced some shiny spots. During his time at JetBlue, the provider rolled out its well-known and disruptive company course seating, known as its Mint class and a slate of routes to Europe.
Geraghtys method for JetBlue represents a sharp contrast from that of Hayes. She beforehand explained her main priority is restoring JetBlues profitability and she would be returning to small business fundamentals to accomplish that purpose. So considerably, JetBlue has minimize dozens of underperforming routes considering the fact that Geraghty took the helm in February.
