JetBlue Names Vijay Raman as Vice President of Sales and Revenue Management
JetBlue , widely recognized as New York’s Hometown Airline®, has announced a significant addition to its executive leadership team with the appointment of Vijay Raman as the company’s new Vice President of Sales and Revenue Management. This strategic hire underscores JetBlue’s ongoing commitment to strengthening its financial foundation and driving growth as part of its JetForward transformation strategy.
In his new role, Raman will be responsible for overseeing a wide array of functions central to JetBlue’s commercial success. These include revenue optimization, ancillary revenue strategy, distribution channels, and corporate sales. His appointment comes at a pivotal moment for the airline as it continues to navigate a dynamic post-pandemic travel environment while enhancing profitability and expanding market reach.
Raman will report directly to Daniel Shurz, JetBlue’s Senior Vice President of Network, Revenue, and Enterprise Planning. Shurz, who oversees the airline’s long-term planning and revenue generation initiatives, emphasized the importance of Raman’s diverse background and leadership capabilities.
“Vijay brings an incredible blend of strategic thinking, analytical rigor, and industry knowledge,” said Shurz. “His leadership will be key as we continue advancing our JetForward strategy to strengthen our financial foundation while offering compelling value to our customers. I’m confident Vijay’s broad experience will help us unlock new opportunities for revenue growth as we strengthen our network and enhance our product offerings.”
An Experienced Executive with a Proven Track Record
Raman arrives at JetBlue with more than 20 years of experience across revenue management, pricing, commercial strategy, and operational planning roles within both the travel and technology sectors. His career trajectory reflects a deep expertise in leveraging data analytics and market insights to develop revenue strategies in highly competitive environments.
Most recently, Raman served as Head of Pricing at MoneyGram International, a global leader in cross-border P2P payments and money transfers. At MoneyGram, he led the company’s global online pricing strategy, covering an expansive footprint that spanned 38 send countries and 200 receive countries. His work there involved building dynamic pricing models and data-driven tools that optimized digital revenue performance, expanded global reach, and improved profitability in an increasingly digital-first remittance marketplace.
Prior to his role at MoneyGram, Raman held progressively senior positions at Spirit Airlines, one of the fastest-growing ultra-low-cost carriers in the United States. During his nearly seven-year tenure at Spirit, he ultimately became Senior Director of Revenue Management. In that role, he had full responsibility for the airline’s revenue optimization, including both ticket and non-ticket (ancillary) revenue streams. His portfolio also included pricing strategy, revenue forecasting, and supporting network development through detailed demand analysis.
Under Raman’s leadership, Spirit saw substantial improvement in its yield management capabilities and the monetization of ancillary services such as baggage fees, seat selection, and onboard purchases—key revenue components for low-cost carriers.
A Career Rooted in Strategy, Technology, and Innovation
Earlier in his career, Raman gained valuable cross-industry experience through roles at leading global companies across different sectors. At Samsung Electronics, he worked in supply chain strategy, helping the technology giant streamline operations and increase efficiency across its logistics and manufacturing units.
Before that, he was part of American Airlines’ revenue management team, where he focused on sales strategy and demand forecasting. His work contributed to one of the most sophisticated airline revenue management systems in the world, known for its dynamic pricing and route optimization capabilities.
Raman also held consulting and engineering roles early in his professional journey, including at Avalion Consulting and Lockheed Martin. These positions laid the foundation for his analytical and systems-oriented approach to complex business problems—an approach that has defined his leadership style throughout his career.
His diverse industry background, combined with deep functional expertise in pricing and revenue management, positions him well to drive innovation and performance at JetBlue as the airline seeks to adapt to shifting market dynamics, evolving customer preferences, and rising cost pressures.
Aligning Leadership with JetBlue’s Long-Term Strategic Vision
JetBlue’s decision to bring in a seasoned executive like Raman is part of its broader JetForward transformation initiative, announced in early 2024. JetForward aims to return the airline to sustained profitability by enhancing cost discipline, boosting operational performance, modernizing its fleet, and capturing new revenue opportunities across its network.
As part of that strategy, the commercial team is taking a more data-centric and customer-focused approach to pricing, product development, and distribution. Raman’s role will be critical in ensuring the airline’s offerings are competitively priced while still delivering exceptional value—a hallmark of the JetBlue brand.
“It’s an exciting time to be joining JetBlue,” said Raman in a statement. “The airline’s customer-centric mission, unique culture, and strategy set it apart in the industry. I look forward to working with the talented commercial team to drive continued momentum and deliver even more value for our crewmembers, customers, and shareholders.”
JetBlue has consistently differentiated itself in the market by focusing on providing a high-quality customer experience at competitive prices. Its complimentary inflight entertainment, free Wi-Fi, generous legroom, and award-winning service have built a loyal customer base in an industry where commoditization is common.
With Raman’s appointment, the airline aims to further enhance its commercial capabilities while staying true to its values of transparency, customer service, and innovation.
A Strong Educational Foundation in Engineering and Business
Raman’s technical and business acumen is underpinned by a robust academic background. He holds an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business, where he focused on strategy and quantitative analysis. He also earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Southern Methodist University and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.
This combination of engineering discipline and business strategy has been instrumental in his ability to bridge the gap between data and decision-making—a skillset increasingly vital in today’s rapidly changing aviation industry.
JetBlue’s appointment of Vijay Raman comes amid a broader leadership reshuffling in the aviation sector, as airlines seek to adapt to new competitive realities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. While passenger demand has largely recovered, airlines now face a host of new challenges: rising fuel costs, increased wage pressures, a competitive labor market, and shifting traveler expectations.
Against this backdrop, Raman’s blend of technology-savvy, operational insight, and commercial acumen is expected to play a pivotal role in positioning JetBlue for long-term success.
As JetBlue continues to expand its transatlantic routes, deepen its codeshare partnerships, and explore new market opportunities, Raman will help steer the company’s revenue strategy in alignment with these growth initiatives. His leadership will be critical not only in maximizing revenue from traditional sources but also in innovating new products and pricing models that reflect the evolving travel landscape.
With a solid foundation in place and a forward-looking executive team, JetBlue appears poised to navigate the next phase of its growth journey with confidence.