JetBlue announced the appointment of Melinda Maher as the airline’s new vice president, financial planning & analysis, and structural cost. She will report to Ursula Hurley, JetBlue’s chief financial officer.
Maher comes to JetBlue from Amazon, where she has been a senior finance manager within Amazon Transportation Services since 2020. She previously served as a director in financial planning & analysis at Alaska Airlines for four years for both corporate and operational functions. Earlier in her career, from 2013-2016 she was a manager of financial planning & analysis at JetBlue. She also brings her professional experience working on Wall Street in transportation equity research for UBS and Barclays Capital.
Maher will lead JetBlue’s long-range financial planning, forecasting and budgeting to deliver maximum benefit for its customers, crewmembers and owners. She’ll also lead efforts to strengthen JetBlue’s cost structure for the long term through improved efficiencies and process effectiveness to help drive margin expansion beyond pre-pandemic levels.
“At JetBlue, we’re deeply committed to setting our company up for long-term success by having a competitive and sustainable cost structure,” said Hurley. “Melinda and her impressive finance experience both in and outside of our industry will be a significant asset to our work in this key foundational area for JetBlue,” said Hurley.
“I’m so honored to step in to lead the FP&A and structural cost teams as the company continues to expand and diversify,” said Maher. “JetBlue has an incredible brand, great people, and many competitive advantages that will help us continue to win over the long term.”
Maher is a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and earned her MBA from Babson University. She is also a licensed commercial pilot and flight dispatcher.
