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.
Austrian Airlines is cutting 150 more administrative position as it eliminates double functions between it and subsidiary Tyrolean. The airline is placing its operations control center in Vienna, while nine departments dealing with operations planning will be based in Innsbruck. Austrian plans to implement the changes next year. It transferred its own flight operations to Tyrolean Airways last summer in an effort to cut costs and after negotiations with flight crew over new collective bargaining agreements failed. Austrian aims to reach breakeven results next year.
Airbus is studying whether it should offer a 236-seat version of the Airbus A321, industry sources tell Aviation Week. The high-density configuration would be possible using the latest slim seats with the literature bag above, rather than below, the seatback table. Seats also would have to be placed in a 28-in. pitch configuration throughout the cabin. No fuselage stretch or other modifications, such as additional emergency exits, would be needed. Airbus says it has “no firm plans” to raise A321 capacity further.
A consortium of three Chinese investors is acquiring a large majority stake in International Lease Finance Corp. (ILFC). The group includes New China Trust, China Aviation Industrial Fund and P3 Investments. Two more companies, including ICBC International Holdings, could come on board at a later stage if an option to buy more of ILFC is exercised.
