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 is introducing sweeping changes in its regional flying program to return the European network to profitability. The airline will relaunch regional subsidiary BA CitiExpress as BA Connect by the end of March. BA Connect Managing Director David Evans says the unit is on track to reduce annual costs by GBP35 million (US$62 million), or 10%, and return to profitability in two years.
Lufthansa said yesterday it has no interest in acquiring a minority stake in state-owned Garuda Indonesia. The German airline said no negotiations were in progress with the Indonesian government. The Jakarta Post reported that three large carriers -- Lufthansa, KLM and Thai Airways International -- had expressed an interest in investing in Garuda. The Indonesian government wants to sell a 49% stake in the airline to a strategic investor who would help settle Garuda's large debt burden and finance fleet expansion.
EasyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou said yesterday that he wouldn't consider selling his stock in the airline until the share price increases further. "I still think the stock has more potential," Haji-Ioannou said. He and his family own a controlling share in the airline.
