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.
Financially struggling Gulf Air will phase out its Boeing 767-300ERs and focus on an all-Airbus fleet, the carrier said yesterday. The airline is reducing the size of its total fleet from 34 to 28 aircraft as part of its restructuring effort. "Gulf Air is heavily losing money every day," CEO André Dosé said. Dosé, a former Swiss CEO, joined the airline at the beginning of the month. "Gulf Air's organization will be streamlined and simplified."
Europe's air transport industry could see major structural changes this year, as consolidation efforts appear to gain significant momentum. In a sequence of events, several high-profile takeover scenarios surfaced late last month: Texas Pacific Group (TPG) is looking at acquiring Iberia, Spain's biggest airline, and this could be followed by Lufthansa or British Airways, which could join the bid or sell its existing stake.
EADS' main shareholders are in a deep dispute about how the company should be refinanced in the medium term. Private shareholders DaimlerChrysler and Lagardère filed an application for the annual shareholder meeting to approve of a convertible bond to be placed. The shareholder meeting will take place in early May. The French government, meanwhile, with a 15% stake in EADS, favors a capital increase.
