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.
Ryanair saw significant improvements in both yields and profits in the June quarter despite having followed the lead of its major airline competitors and increased fares more than 3% in the period. The company posted a net profit of EUR64.4 million (US$78.6 million), up 21% from last year. Passenger numbers were up 30% to 8.5 million and revenues jumped 35%. The relatively stronger revenue increase was due to the yield development, but also to a 44% boost of ancillary revenues generated mainly on the Ryanair web site.
Major European airlines are expected to report improved profits in the next few days. Ryanair today is anticipated to reveal a 15% increase in net profit for the second quarter as the airline continues to build its presence in continental Europe. British Airways will be the first of the big three carriers, including Air France-KLM and Lufthansa, to announce its financial results for the quarter on Aug. 5. BA is expected to report a 35% profit increase, with business travel returning specifically on the airline's key long-haul routes.
Iberia's net profit for the first half of the year dropped 53%, to EUR29.2 million (US$35 million) on sales of EUR2.4 billion (US$2.9 billion), as the airline suffered from high fuel costs and sluggish revenue growth and could not take advantage of extraordinary effects. Fuel expenses at the carrier were up 20%, but first-half results for 2004 were positively influenced by EUR33 million (US$40 million) derived from the sale of its stake in Iberswiss and a flight simulator center.
