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.
Robert Wall (London), Jens Flottau (Frankfurt), Michael Mecham (Phoenix)
Even though the disruption of European air traffic is expected to trigger a full-court press to better understand the impact of volcanic ash on aircraft, the aviation industry has to face the reality that there is a dearth of scientific data on the subject.
The ash cloud over Europe has cost the global airline industry $1.7 billion in lost revenues, according to IATA Secretary General Giovanni Bisignani. At the same time, Airports Council International-Europe says Europe’s airports have lost €250 million ($385 million), up from an earlier estimate of €200 million ($308 million). At its peak, the shutdown of most of European airspace, which began April 15 because of a volcano eruption in Iceland, affected 29% of global aviation and 1.2 million passengers per day, Bisignani said at a news conference in Berlin.
Three European airline associations are calling for state aid in order to be able to cope with the financial consequences of the volcano eruption that left most of Europe’s airlines grounded for five days. The European Low Fares Airline Association (ELFAA), the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) and the International Air Carrier Association (IACA) say they want the European Commission and European member states to “give a firm commitment to support airlines affected by the crisis caused by the volcanic ash dispersion.”
