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 plans to pick one of four possible places for its final assembly line in China by the end of April, according to a senior Airbus executive. "We can't complete a lot of the feasibility study until we know where it is going to be," Airbus China President Laurence Barron said in an interview. The manufacturer is looking at Shanghai, Zhuhai, Xian and Tianjin as possible locations for an Airbus A320 series final assembly line. Following the feasibility study, Airbus plans to make a final decision on the project in the summer. -JF
TAP Portugal posted a EUR9.9 million loss (US$12 million) for the 2005 financial year despite significantly higher revenues. The airline attributed the loss to the soaring fuel prices that resulted in its spending EUR93 million more on kerosene than expected. Revenues grew 9.9% to EUR1.4 billion (US$1.7 billion), and TAP's fuel expenses were EUR287 million (US$348 million). The airline carried 6.4 million passengers, up 5.5% from 2004. TAP joined the Star Alliance last year. -JF
Germany's airline sector is undergoing rapid structural changes, with Air Berlin's announcement of an initial public offering (IPO) and the launch of close cooperation between DBA and LTU that could lead to a merger. Air Berlin's IPO comes after months of speculation about how the airline will finance its ambitious growth plans. The carrier plans to sell shares to fund its order for 60 Airbus A320s, a move welcomed by most analysts and observers.
