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 European Commission is tightening its ban against Iran Air, concluding that the airline still does not comply with European Union safety standards.
Air Berlin raised its stake in Austrian low-fare airline Niki to 49.9% earlier this week, implementing a deal that was closed in February. The airline is paying €21 million ($26.3 million) for the new 25.9% stake it is adding to its previous 24% share. The agreement includes an option under which Air Berlin will fully take over Niki in three years. It also provides Niki a €40.5 million loan that the company can pay back in cash or stock in 2013. Founder Niki Lauda will remain on the board of directors for at least three years.
Iranian carriers may have trouble getting fuel abroad after the U.S. tightened trade sanctions against Iran last week. Mehdi Alijari, the secretary general of Iran’s airline association, said carriers no longer can get fuel at airports in Germany, the U.K. and the United Arab Emirates. Kassem Jalali, the chairman of the Iranian parliament’s Foreign Committee, said such acts contradicted international rules.
