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.
German pilot union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) stands in the way of both Lufthansa and Air Berlin, as the two largest German airlines try to achieve important structural changes. Last week, pilots at Air Berlin’s long-haul leisure unit LTU International Airways walked off the job for 10 hr., seriously disrupting the airline’s operations. More industrial action may follow at LTU and Lufthansa, as both carriers are negotiating new wage contracts with their pilots.
Iberia may have reached the bottom of the demand curve in parts of its network. The airline’s domestic revenue passenger miles (RPMs) increased by 1.4% in July, the first time demand in its domestic network hasn’t been shrinking since 2006. Other parts of its network continued to be under pressure, but the drops appear to have started a slowdown.
LOT Polish Airlines is in talks to select an adviser for its planned capital increase. CEO Sebastian Mikusz said the selection could be made next week. He declined to provide further details, but hinted that either a strategic airline partner or a private equity firm could participate. Money-losing LOT hopes to find a strategic investor next year. Its Star Alliance partner Lufthansa is seen as a logical candidate, but the current economic climate and Lufthansa’s internal issues make a deal less likely at this point.
