Hope, Despair and the Human Faces Managing the Pandemic Crisis

The travel sector has endured the coronavirus pandemic better than expected, broadly speaking, thanks to the heroic sacrifices of many. Outright bankruptcies have been rare, despite the steep plunges in revenue. Yet the parade of headlines has been ferocious. Much news coverage has focused on financials and business tactics. But it's worth noting that many people behind the headlines had to withstand a fierce drama. So we're pausing to recall a handful of leaders' emotional moments. Here are some examples of how it felt to withstand the pandemic. "Things Just Fell Off a Cliff" JetBlue President Joanna Geraghty recalled a few moments during March and April 2020 when she spoke later at Skift Global Forum. "Things just fell off a cliff, almost overnight," Geraghty said. "It required the leadership team and our front-line to very quickly adjust." The crisis required JetBlue's management team to have endless emergency meetings and address multiple problems at once. "I was riding my bik