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.
No issue in aeropolitics is as contentious as the introduction of charges for carbon emissions. The European Union almost caused a trade war over its Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), but it seems a global deal is in sight. Agreeing on the basics and a schedule for the introduction of a global structure of market-based measures (MBM) to limit aviation’s greenhouse gas emissions will be the most important topic at the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) 38th General Assembly, which began this week in Montreal.
Spanish carrier Vueling, now a fully owned subsidiary of International Airlines Group (IAG), has reduced the minimum connecting time at its main base in Barcelona-El Prat Airport from 55 min. to 35 min., which CEO Alex Cruz says allows the airline to double the number of connections through the hub and significantly broaden its connecting network.
NEW CEO: Alexander Mikheev has been appointed the new CEO of Russian Helicopters. Mikheev was a deputy CEO of Russia’s Rosoboronexport and has held a seat on Russian Helicopters’ board since 2008. Russian Helicopters will continue to expand its range of light helicopter models and also focus on development of its maintenance network in order to increase revenues from after-sales service. The contract with former CEO Dmitry Petrov, who has led the company since 2010, expires on Sept. 27.
