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.
British low-fare regional airline FlyBE is looking at a change in ownership and possibly an initial public offering, according to Managing Director Jim French. In an interview, French said the airline would appoint advisers for a possible sale in the next two to three months. The trustees of the Jack Walker Trust currently own FlyBE. The airline last week converted options on 20 Bombardier Q400 turboprops into a firm $485 million order, which will boost its Q400 fleet to 41 planes (DAILY, Jan. 28). -JF
Ryanair revised its profit guidance for the full 2004/2005 fiscal year upwards after it managed to stop the expected yield decline in the third quarter. The airline believes yields will actually be up 5% in the fourth quarter (January-March 2005), but based on exceptionally weak figures in the comparable period last year. Ryanair shares yesterday rose by as much as 13% on the news.
Lufthansa's troubled LSG SkyChefs catering unit likely will record a EUR20 million loss in 2005 while tourism subsidiary Thomas Cook AG will break even on a pre-tax basis, says one airline analyst. Lufthansa's passenger airline will earn the cost of capital only in 2006, HypoVereinsbank airline analyst Uwe Weinreich said after the carrier's investor conference last week.
