Delta's newest network ace resigns weeks after being poached from JetBlue

It’s been a rollercoaster month for Delta’s network team.

It started in mid-January when the airline added a new vice president of network planning, Scott Laurence, who came from JetBlue Airways.

The plan, according to Delta, was for Laurence to strengthen the airline’s network and joint venture partnerships, with a focus on long-term growth opportunities.

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Well, that’s no longer going to happen — at least with Laurence in charge. Nearly a month after starting his role at the airline, Laurence is already packing his bags.

The long-time industry executive announced this week that he's resigning from his new role at Delta, a carrier spokesperson exclusively confirmed to TPG.

Laurence joined the Delta team after 14 years at JetBlue, where he's perhaps best known as one of the architects of the Northeast Alliance with American Airlines.

The tie-up has since become a major competitive thorn in Delta’s side as the airline tries to maneuvers with JetBlue for supremacy in the highly competitive Northeast market.

Under the alliance, JetBlue and American codeshare on some routes and offer reciprocal frequent-flyer benefits. The airlines have reconfigured schedules and networks around the partnership — for instance, American has cut some routes that JetBlue has begun to operate and codeshare on, such as the long-standing shuttle service between Boston Logan (BOS) and New York-LaGuardia (LGA).

In September, the Department of Justice filed an anti-trust lawsuit against the two airlines, accusing them of anti-competitive practices. The alliance was first approved during the waning days of the Trump administration.

American and JetBlue have vociferously defended the partnership, and they've continued to unveil new routes and benefits for travelers.

Laurence's position was a new role seemingly created when Delta poached him from JetBlue. He reported to Joe Esposito, Delta’s senior vice president of network planning. Whether Delta backfills the role internally or looks for another external candidate is anyone's guess.

However it moves forward, Delta likely won't find someone with better knowledge of the current demand, competition and opportunity in the Northeast region than Laurence.

Meanwhile, for Laurence, the big question is what went wrong. TPG tried contacting the executive on LinkedIn to learn more about his decision to leave, and we'll update the story if we hear back.

Perhaps Laurence is leaving for another industry job — he's already worked for 14 years at JetBlue and nine at United, and now has a month under his belt from his time at Delta.

All eyes now turn to where he lands next.

Additional reporting by TPG's David Slotnick.