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.
Airbus expects about 250-300 orders in 2010, as airlines continue to battle with the effects of the global economic downturn. The manufacturer, like Boeing, expects demand to recover no earlier than 2012 with airline growth having returned in 2011, according to Chief Operating Officer-Customers John Leahy.
Lufthansa carried 55.6 million passengers last year, 2.6% fewer than a year ago. The airline reduced capacity by 1.3%, revenue passenger kilometers were down by 2.4%. That led to a load factor of 77.7%, 0.9 points below the 2008 level. The airline said that all traffic regions except the Middle East and Africa suffered. Demand for cargo dropped by 10.5%.
Blue Wings, a small scheduled and special charter airline based in Dusseldorf, ceased operations on Wednesday as a result of its ongoing financial difficulties. Soon after the carrier’s aircraft were grounded, Germany’s aviation authority Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA) withdrew Blue Wings’ operating license saying the company no longer fulfilled minimum requirements in terms of financial resources.
