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.
Cologne/Bonn hopes to become continental Europe's largest base for low-fare airlines and the first airport to attract no-frills long-haul services. The airport is in negotiations with Chicago-based ATA and expects the airline to launch Cologne/Bonn-Chicago long-haul low-cost services in May 2005. Managing Director Michael Garvens says ATA plans to use Boeing 757s for the daily services. "The interest in low-fare long-haul services is huge," Garvens told Aviation Week & Space Technology at the operator's headquarters here.
Abu Dhabi's national airline, Etihad Airways, expects to announce an order for up to 38 aircraft by the end of this week, says Etihad's head of sales Kevin Steele, and is looking at ordering Airbus A330s, A340s or Boeing 777s. The airline hopes to boost its fleet to 50 aircraft by 2009. The order would come two days before the official opening of this year's Farnborough Air Show. Etihad started flying late last year and competes against regional rivals Qatar Airways, Gulf Air and Emirates. -JF
Lufthansa yesterday named two key executives to head its struggling catering unit, LSG SkyChefs, part of a management shakeup aimed at turning the tide at the unprofitable subsidiary. Walter Gehl will be the subsidiary's new CFO, starting Oct. 1, and Thomas Nagel will head operations. The two executives succeed Patrick Tolbert and Ulrich Droescher. Gehl is head of human resources at Lufthansa's passenger airline unit and will be replaced by Carsten Spohr, head of alliances and strategy.
