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.
A German regional court this week approved Lufthansa's plans to build a four-bay hangar for Airbus A380 maintenance work at its home base in Frankfurt. The court rejected claims from environmental groups that wanted to stop the project. Airport operator Fraport plans to begin construction in the fall in time for a 2007 hangar opening. The hangar will be big enough for four A380s or six Boeing 747-400s. It will be built in the southern part of the airport. -JF
BMI plans to introduce service to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Sept. 1 with three weekly flights. The airline will fly the route from London Heathrow Airport on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, using an Airbus A330-200. BMI put its recent network focus on expanding long-haul routes. BMI recently introduced a four-times-weekly service to Mumbai, India. It is blocked from flying U.S. routes from Heathrow by the current U.S./U.K. bilateral but has said in the past that it would fly the routes once allowed. -JF
Virgin Atlantic Airways plans to hire about 1,500 staff in the next 18 months to ensure it can grow as planned. The additions include 1,100 cabin crew, 150 pilots and 150 ground staff at London Heathrow and Stansted airports. The airline currently has roughly 8,500 employees. Virgin Atlantic has ordered 26 Airbus A340-600s and six A380s that will effectively double the company in five years. -JF
