Since June 2019 Scott Laurence served as JetBlue‘s Head of Revenue and Planning. He oversaw JetBlue’s Sales and Revenue Management groups, Network & Operations Planning, International, Charter Operations, Continuous Improvement, and Industry Partnerships. Of recent note, he led JetBlue’s half of the Northeast Alliance (NEA) with American Airlines.
And then he didn’t anymore. He left the company this week, a news nugget buried in the last paragraph of a release announcing the promotion of Dave Clark to head of revenue and planning.
What’s next for Scott Laurence??
Given his tenure at JetBlue – and especially his role with the NEA – the institutional knowledge leaving JetBlue is huge. Its value to a competitor might be even more significant. And unconfirmed reports suggest that is exactly what is happening.
Sources inform PaxEx.Aero that Laurence is headed to Delta Air Lines.
The specific title he’ll hold at Delta is not yet clear. The SVP Revenue role there vacated by Sandeep Dube last September. Dube left the company in September, after nearly seven years with the airline, to take over the Chief Commercial Officer position at Activision Blizzard.
Or maybe he’ll report to Delta’s current SVP Network Planning, Joe Esposito. As with many senior executive transitions, if the specific role doesn’t already exist the carrier can shift things around to make it work. That’s what happened, for example, when Laurence was promoted to his current role at JetBlue.
The move would deliver a huge amount of insight around the NYC and Boston markets to Delta. Those are two key areas where the Atlanta-based carrier fights aggressively for share, and where the NEA was designed to counter Delta’s efforts.
If these rumors prove true it is hard to not see it as a massive win for Delta, both in snagging a shining star in the industry and in grabbing the brain of a top competitor.
This is not the first time Laurence had the chance to jump to a larger operation. In at least one previous instance JetBlue was able to counter with a compelling offer. But the opportunity to move to Delta at this level would be nearly impossible for JetBlue to match.
Laurence’s career at JetBlue spanned nearly 14 years. He also served 13 years at US Airways and United Airlines before starting at JetBlue in 2008.
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Charlie O says
So he’s leaving to go be a mere VP, when he was an EVP at another airline? I get going somewhere bigger but that’s a major step back.
Hmmm…
Henry Fredericks says
Who cares what they call you, it’s what they pay you that says it all.
Bo Hica says
“Shining star?” Im a pilot at JetBlue and I dont know anyone who thinks that. The network is a trainwreck. We suck at making money. And he sold out the pilot group to AA. I hope he takes those talents to Delta or wherever. It will be the best thing that ever happened to JetBlue.