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.
Eighty-six percent of British Airways pilots participating in the ballot voted to strike in a dispute over the group’s new OpenSkies subsidiary (DAILY, Jan. 10). The British Air Line Pilots Association (BALPA) said that pilots are concerned BA could use the lower pay scales planned for OpenSkies to exercise downward pressure on pay and conditions at the mainline carrier.
Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways plans to place an order for up to 100 aircraft this year to ensure long-term growth capacity. Etihad CEO James Hogan said in an interview that he is talking to both Airbus and Boeing about orders for between 50 and 100 aircraft. The airline is likely to buy additional Airbus A380s of which it has four on firm order, Hogan said. The airline currently operates 37 aircraft and plans to grow the fleet to 53 by the end of 2011.
European network airlines’ bottom lines may not benefit from reduced fuel prices, as carriers would come under pressure to reduce their fuel surcharges, too, JP Morgan’s airline analyst Chris Avery argues.
