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.
Eurowings majority owner Albrecht Knauf will sell part of his stake in German regional carrier Eurowings early next year, industry sources told The DAILY. Knauf owns 75.1% of the carrier, while Lufthansa holds the remaining shares. When Lufthansa took its minority stake from Knauf, both sides agreed to an option letting Lufthansa boost its stake to as much as 49% for a fixed price. Eurowings' brand will slowly disappear in the next few months as the carrier begins to operate as Lufthansa Regional under a wet-lease arrangement.
Swiss International Air Lines will delay deliveries of its Embraer 170s yet again. The airline told Embraer it does not want to take delivery of the regional jets in mid-2004 but in early 2005, according to Executive VP-Network and Strategy Martin Isler. The order was already deferred one year, and the first aircraft were originally due to arrive at Swiss this past summer (DAILY, June 17).
Europe's largest low-fare airline easyJet is preparing to open a new base in Germany. According to industry sources, easyJet is evaluating Berlin Schoenefeld and Cologne/Bonn as possible bases from which it would fly to other European routes; Cologne/Bonn Airport confirmed negotiations with the airline. If easyJet enters the German market, observers expect massive changes for the large German package tour market and increasing pressure on travel giants Thomas Cook and TUI. -JF
