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.
Lufthansa warns it may cut down further on its capacity plans for the next winter season if an emerging forward-booking weakness continues. The airline has already revised capacity growth downwards from 5% to 4% for 2014, mainly because of the effects of a three-day pilot strike last month which continues to trim forward bookings. According to Chief Financial Officer Simone Menne, the airline does not yet see the need to adjust its financial targets for the year, which sees the airline posting a €1.3-1.5 billion operating profit.
Etihad CEO James Hogan is rejecting allegations that the airline is violating European rules on ownership and control at its affiliates Air Berlin, Air Serbia and Darwin Airline (Etihad Regional). “We comply very clearly with the rules of the European Commission, we have to,” Hogan said on the sidelines of its Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 product presentation in Abu Dhabi. In his view, the notion of Etihad not complying with the rules is “propaganda by our competitors.”
FRANKFURT—As new Group CEO Carsten Spohr settles in, Lufthansa is introducing a group executive committee to more formally organize cooperation between the various airlines of the group.
