He started his journalism career in 1992 as a freelance writer for Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Germany’s largest daily national newspaper and soon specialised in air transport. Jens joined Aviation Week and Aviation Daily in 2000 as one of the European correspondents. Later his role was expanded to cover international air transport. In 2013 he was named Managing Editor Commercial.
Jens frequently appears on radio and TV to comment on industry matters. In 2003, he received the Hugo Junkers Award of the German aviation press for his coverage of Fairchild Dornier’s bankruptcy. He was named the country’s top travel and air transport writer by the Travel Industry Club three times. Jens graduated from the Munich School of Journalism.
Ryanair’s bid for Aer Lingus has been soundly rejected by management at the low-cost carrier’s domestic rival. The Aer Lingus board of directors on July 18 issued a statement saying it “unanimously recommends shareholders should take no action in relation to the [Ryanair] offer and should not sign any document sent by Ryanair or its advisers.”
The European Commission (EC) has dropped its target for allowing the unrestricted carriage of liquids on board aircraft in April 2013, citing ”a considerable operational risk mainly due to the scale of the change.” The decision is a victory for European airports, which for years have lobbied against the legislation, arguing that implementation of all the changes needed would be impossible. In the airports’ view, the current equipment for screening is insufficiently tested, unreliable and too large for current airport layouts.
Ryanair yesterday submitted a €694 million ($852 million) all-cash offer for Irish rival Aer Lingus, fulfilling a promise issued in June. The bid, one of several takeover attempts by Ryanair, faces several hurdles, notably a European Commission (EC) investigation that will consider the bid’s antitrust implications. Also, the U.K. Competition Commission was already considering the anti-competitive effects of Ryanair’s existing 29.8% stake in Aer Lingus.
