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.
Some 30 airlines are expected to file complaints -- and potentially lawsuits at a later stage -- with district authorities to protest the planned night curfew at Frankfurt Airport. That number of carriers would be directly affected if the curfew becomes a reality in 2009.
Swiss wants to complete negotiations with all employee groups by June to reduce costs and move its restructuring plan forward. The airline canceled all collective bargaining agreements to achieve cost cuts laid out in the latest business plan, the first under CEO Christoph Franz. Swiss aims to cut staff costs by up to CHF150 million (US$126 million), about half of the planned reduction, officials told reporters in Zurich. The airline wants to trim wages but also achieve higher productivity in the process.
British low-fare regional airline FlyBE is looking at a change in ownership and possibly an initial public offering, according to Managing Director Jim French. In an interview, French said the airline would appoint advisers for a possible sale in the next two to three months. The trustees of the Jack Walker Trust currently own FlyBE. The airline last week converted options on 20 Bombardier Q400 turboprops into a firm $485 million order, which will boost its Q400 fleet to 41 planes (DAILY, Jan. 28). -JF
