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.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) sees the rising price of oil as the key challenge for its members in 2011, what it described as its most important “emerging worry.” Secretary General and CEO Giovanni Bisignani said on Monday that for each dollar the price of oil increases, the industry has to recover $1.6 billion in additional costs. IATA forecast an average price of $84 per barrel, but the price currently is more than $100.
Ryanair is in the early stages of talks with both Russia’s United Aircraft Corp. (UAC) and China’s Comac regarding a possible order for either the MS-21 or the C919 jet. “They are very keen to work with Ryanair,” CEO Michael O’Leary says. “We haven’t got a firm offer on price, and at the moment we don’t have certainty about when they will actually deliver the aircraft,” he cautions. “There is a long way from the lovely, shiny brochure to ‘there’s the aircraft over there.’”
Spanish low-fare carrier Vueling significantly improved its profitability in 2010. The airline reported a net profit of €45.99 million ($63 million) for the year, up 66% from 2009. The increase was steeper than the 32% growth in revenues to €797 million. Vueling reached a net margin of 5.7%. Unit costs excluding fuel decreased 3%, but were up 4% including fuel. Fuel expenses rose 45% and particularly affected results for the fourth quarter, in which the airline posted a €4.4 million net loss.
