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.
Portugalia Airlines will join the SkyTeam alliance as an associate airline; the move was announced at a SkyTeam event prior to the IATA annual general assembly this week in Paris. Portugalia's application is sponsored by Air France, and the airline is expected to be ready to join in 2008. The decision means that two alliances will be represented by Portuguese members -- TAP Air Portugal recently joined the Star Alliance.
The long-term survival of Aer Lingus could be threatened if a planned initial public offering (IPO) is not approved. "If we don't do this, we won't have Aer Lingus flying in a few years' time," Irish Transport Minister Martin Cullen said last week. "The government is not going to make another decision." The harsh statement comes as Aer Lingus is in the midst of becoming a more independent airline and trying to persuade its unions to support the move.
