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.
British Airways and Hainan Airlines are are competing with Lufthansa for a controlling stake in Belgian carrier Brussels Airlines, industry sources told The DAILY yesterday. The two carriers are still in talks with SN Airholding, Brussels Airlines’ parent company, although Lufthansa is regarded as management’s favorite new owner.
EADS and Airbus spinoff Premium Aerotec plan to invest about EUR360 million to build new plants in Augsburg and Nordenham, both in Germany. The new EADS subsidiary is making the move to enable the facilities to produce large composite parts. Premium Aerotec is made up of the former Airbus plants in Nordenham and Varel as well as a former EADS unit in Augsburg. Its headquarters will be in Augsburg, and its first CEO is Hans Lonsinger, the former EADS Augsburg chief. Premium Aerotec will have EUR1.2 billion in annual sales initially but plans to grow heavily.
Emirates’ second Airbus A380 will be delayed by several weeks, the airline confirmed yesterday. The aircraft was scheduled to arrive in October, but that date will slip because of the longer-than-expected process to outfit the cabin. Emirates in late July received its first A380 that currently flies three weekly roundtrips between Dubai and New York. Singapore Airlines is scheduled to take its sixth A380 this month and Qantas is to receive its first A380 on Sept. 19.
