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.
Safi Airways, a private airline from Afghanistan, has decided to upgrade its narrowbody fleet. The airline will dry-lease two Airbus A320s, with the first aircraft to be delivered in June. Safi plans to use the jet on the route between Kabul and Dubai. The airline’s two aging Boeing 737-300s will be kept for charter work, as well as for aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance wet-leases, but will no longer be used for scheduled services. Safi operates one Airbus A340-200 on its long-haul routes and also keeps one Boeing 767-200ER as a back-up.
If Europe finally manages to effectively streamline its air traffic management system after years of trying, the credit will likely go to the Eyjafjallajokull volcano for spotlighting the high cost of the fractured arrangement now in place.
Air Berlin is launching three new long-haul routes from Berlin this winter, serving Dubai, Miami and Mombasa, Kenya. The Dubai service will be operated three times per week initially, Miami twice weekly and Mombasa weekly. The airline bases one additional Airbus A330-200 in Berlin. The decision comes ahead of next year‘s opening of Berlin’s new Willy Brandt International Airport that Air Berlin plans to use for major growth.
