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.
Aeroflot Russian Airlines agreed to pay $57.42 million in 15-year lease deals for six Ilyhushin IL-96s with Ilyushin Finance. The airline will lend the manufacturer $2.75 million for building each aircraft, Aeroflot said yesterday. After 15 years, the carrier can buy the aircraft for no more than $39 million each. The deal needs the approval of an extraordinary general meeting on Sept. 19. -JF
Spanish carrier Iberia, which has been on the record since last May about its interest in Cintra's privatization of Aeromexico and Mexicana (DAILY, May 16), has confirmed that of the two carriers, it is interested in acquiring a minority stake in Mexicana. "We are now waiting for the prospectus with sale conditions," an Iberia spokesperson stated.
Ryanair may not open the planned base at Luebeck Airport near Hamburg, CEO Michael O'Leary told The DAILY yesterday in Frankfurt. The decision to base four aircraft at the airport depends on the development of a new terminal building and a small runway extension, which has hit some legal snags. Environmentalists oppose the extension, and consequently New Zealand investor Infratil may not go ahead with plans to build a new terminal.
