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.
Swiss air traffic control provider Skyguide named Alex Bristol as its new chief operating officer. Bristol succeeds Urs Ryf, who announced his resignation from the position late last year. Bristol, 42, previously served as director-international affairs at British air traffic control company NATS. He will take on his new position in July.
Kenya Airways will take delivery of its first Boeing 787-8 in October 2013, according to Managing Director Titus Naikuni. That is three years later than originally planned when the airline placed the order in 2006. In spite of the late delivery, Kenya Airways plans to add seven new destinations to its network this year and seven more in 2012. Kenya Airways is competing with Ethiopian Airlines for intra-African and long-haul connecting traffic. Ethiopian has ordered 10 787-8s.
Air Berlin named Wolfram Grimus as its new head of network planning and development. Grimus, 45, joins the carrier from Austrian Airlines, where he most recently was director of the Commercial Passenger Division for Central and Eastern Europe. The airline also has recruited former Go Fly CEO Barbara Cassani and former EasyJet Chief Commercial Officer Saad Hammad as new members of its board. The appointments become effective in May.
