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.
Air Berlin yesterday issued a €125 million (US$176.9 million) convertible bond in a private placement, significantly bolstering its cash reserve. The airline will use €70 million for aircraft down payments, while €55 million is allocated to buy back earlier bond obligations valued at €90 million nominally.
Kenya Airways will launch services to Zambia and Botswana in September. The airline plans to start flights to Gaborone, Botswana, on Sept. 4, and to Ndola, Zambia, two weeks later. The carrier focuses on developing Nairobi as a hub for the region. Kenya Airways just went through a two-day strike that led to an increase in average wages by 20%.
Germanwings will open three new routes from its main base in Cologne/Bonn in the next summer timetable. The airline is introducing services to Copenhagen, Madrid and Santorini, Greece. The services come on top of the new destinations to be launched in October when the airline starts flights to Hamburg; Klagenfurt and Salzburg, Austria; Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria and Tenerife, Canary Islands; Manchester, England and Venice.
