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.
Consolidation in the European air transport sector could get a major boost if a planned bid for Iberia by a British Airways-led consortium succeeds. Following weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations, BA last week confirmed that it "has joined with TPG Capital, Vista Capital de Expansion, Inversiones Ibersuizas, and Quercus Equity to investigate a possible consortium offer for Iberia." BA cautioned that "there is no guarantee that a formal bid will be made," although industry officials say it is likely.
Ryanair is launching a new base in Bristol in November, a significant move that will position the carrier to compete head-to-head with EasyJet, which also has a large presence at the airport. Ryanair will fly to 13 destinations and base two Boeing 737-800s in Bristol. EasyJet currently offers 33 routes from Bristol, a base it inherited from Go when it took over the ex-British Airways subsidiary in 2002. -JF
Chinese logistics group LinkGlobal Logistics bought Germany's Parchim Airport and promised to invest about EUR100 million (US$134 million) to upgrade the field. LinkGlobal is understood to be planning cargo services from Shenzhou to Parchim. The airport, situated between Hamburg and Berlin, has a 9,000-foot runway sufficient for long-haul services and currently operates some charter flights. Lufthansa Cargo, for its part, stated that operating a cargo airport in Parchim was "economically senseless and logistically unattractive." -JF
