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.
German low-fare and charter carrier Air Berlin is considering an initial public offering (IPO) to fund its fleet expansion, Managing Director Joachim Hunold said at the international tourism exchange in Berlin. Air Berlin wants to order up to 70 aircraft for expansion or replacement. The company reported a small loss in 2003 but expects to be profitable this year. -JF
Germanwings and bmibaby plan to join forces, the carriers announced at the ITB International Tourism Exchange in Berlin. The two low-fare airlines said they will cooperate in marketing and sales, and flights will be offered on the respective web sites. Eurowings CEO Friedrich-Wilhelm Weitholz told The DAILY he hopes to take advantage of bmibaby's better marketing presence in the U.K. The airlines also pointed out that route networks are complementary. No through check-in and through-fares are planned.
LOT Polish Airlines has taken delivery of its first Embraer 170 and will dispatch it on the first revenue flight tomorrow. According to President Marek Grabarek, the airline will take a total of six Embraer 170s this year and four next year. LOT also holds options for another 11. Grabarek told reporters in Warsaw, "The firm order book was most likely not the end of our cooperation." The first four aircraft are leased from GECAS.
