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 may not reach its financial targets for 2007, if an in-depth analysis by German competition authorities of the takeover of LTU drag on much longer. The airline had predicted an operating margin of up to 7% for Fiscal Year 2007, but is now saying it could be closer to a 6% result. Any improvement would depend on a quick integration of LTU and performance in the third quarter.
Qatar Airways yesterday placed a huge order for the Airbus A350XWB, a commitment that has been under negotiation for months. The airline signed a memorandum of understanding covering the purchase of 80 A350XWBs -- 20 more than the original A350 deal planned in 2005. Also yesterday, Colombia's Avianca confirmed it will order 38 Airbus aircraft, with an additional 32 options. The deal includes five firm orders and five options for A330-200s, and 33 orders 27 options for A319s and A320s.
Airbus is under pressure from some of its key customers to revise important features of its current A350 design. A group of customers -- among them Emirates -- want Airbus to build complete composite fuselage barrels for the aircraft, instead of using panels that must be fitted to aluminum frames.
