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.
Ryanair this week picked Pisa as its third base in Italy after Rome Ciampino and Bergamo. The airline said it will base two aircraft at the airport and start three new routes from Pisa -- to Dublin; Alghero, Italy, and Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Service to Dublin will launch Oct. 10, while flights to Alghero and Eindhoven will start on Jan. 12. Ryanair wants to carry 1.2 million passengers on the new routes in the first full year of operations. Pisa is a major European tourism destination in the popular Tuscany region. -JF
Qatar Airways believes delivery of its first Airbus A380 could be pushed back into 2010, says CEO Akbar al-Bakr. The airline originally wanted to take its first A380 at the end of 2008 but delayed the date because Doha's international airport would not be ready to receive the aircraft until then. The latest schedule called for delivery in the second or third quarter of 2009, but Airbus has told customers recently the aircraft will be up to six months late (DAILY, June 1).
Hahn Airport continues to grow steadily in 2005 as it works to stabilize its position as a key low-cost facility in Germany. Flughafen Frankfurt-Hahn, the airport's operator, posted a loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of EUR2.8 million (US$250.6 million) for the first six months of the year, nearly unchanged from last year. But revenues were up 26% at 17 million. Hahn is the biggest German base for Ryanair and is also used by Wizz Air, a growing Central European low-cost carrier based in Budapest.
