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.
Austrian Airlines is pushing through dramatic changes in its structure in a last attempt to return to profitability. The airline’s board of directors decided on Thursday that flight operations, including aircraft, pilots and cabin crew, will be transferred from the parent company to regional subsidiary Tyrolean.
Iberia is stepping up its fight to lower pilot costs by using draconian measures. The airline plans to reduce pilot payroll costs by 20% or €62 million ($81.22 million) annually and improve productivity by 25% at the same time. Representatives of the pilot union, Sindicato Espanol de Pilotos de Líneas Aereas (Sepla), refused to show up at a meeting that was scheduled for April 17, to protest the measures.
Royal Jordanian Airlines CEO Hussein Dabbas has resigned in a surprise move. The company says Dabbas will leave in June to take another position that has not been disclosed. A Royal Jordanian official says Dabbas believed it was time for a change and for new ideas to develop the airline further. It is unclear who will succeed Dabbas, who had worked for the airline since 1979.
