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.
Widespread concerns about aircraft-delivery financing are not enough to spur Airbus and Boeing to delay plans to increase output. The huge backlogs that both sport provide one confidence-booster, with Airbus in particular seeing strong growth as it anticipates a record order intake this year.
With the merger between LAN Airlines and TAM Grupo now in the final stages of approval, Latin American commercial aviation is entering the next stage in its rapid development. The deal has already had a deep impact on competitors in the region and it will shift the balance of power between the global alliances in one of the world's major growth markets.
Jens Flottau (Quito, Ecuador; and Bogota, Colombia)
Air traffic is growing fast in most of Latin America, but vastly differing economic policies, ranging from strict state control to open markets, are still a major hurdle for air transport in parts of the region.
