Robin Hayes, Airline Industry Instigator

Robin Hayes was determined not to miss what could be his best shot at moving JetBlue into a more competitive position. Two months after Frontier agreed to buy Spirit for $2.9 billion, he announced a rival bid. It was repeatedly rebuffed—Spirit’s board was worried about antitrust concerns—but Hayes persisted, offering sweeteners until the board could no longer rally sufficient shareholder support for the Frontier deal.

A London native who’s been a JetBlue executive since 2008, Hayes is banking on the merger to give his company influence over pricing against the largest US airlines, which control about 80% of the market. He’s said he plans to lure passengers to the combined airline with lower fares and amenities including free Wi-Fi. The acquisition will also provide a ready source of aircraft and pilots, both of which are in short supply.