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.
German leisure carrier Condor and its subsidiary Condor Berlin are merging, and the two air operator certificates (AOCs) will be combined effective May 1. Both carriers are part of the Thomas Cook group of airlines, which has recently agreed on deeper integration across its European affiliates.
Star Alliance is working on a conditional agreement with US Airways to leave the alliance as the carrier moves closer to implementing its planned merger with American Airlines. At the Phoenix Aviation Symposium last week, Star’s CEO Mark Schwab told Aviation Week that he expects US Airways to leave the alliance in the next few months. Schwab this week met with US Airways CEO Doug Parker and President Scott Kirby, who are based near Phoenix, to talk about the departure. “It is tough to see them go,” says Schwab.
Lufthansa’s pilots are demanding a 4.6% pay increase in the current round of negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. Talks with the pilots have been ongoing for the past year, the Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) union said on April 26, adding that formal negotiations for a new deal that would continue into 2014 started this week. VC’s wage demand covers pilots at Lufthansa, Lufthansa Cargo and Germanwings.
