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.
The SAS Group could split into three national entities following a board meeting today and is likely to announce another round of layoffs and route closures as a result of deepening losses. CEO Joergen Lindegaard said in an interview this week that SAS would be divided into national entities that would continue to operate under the SAS brand and jointly feed the SAS long-haul network. Also, SAS as a whole would remain a member of the Star Alliance.
The Star Alliance is "in final negotiations" with Air China about joining the group, Lufthansa's head of alliances and strategy, Carsten Spohr, told journalists in Frankfurt. Spohr expects an agreement to be reached no later than next year. He pointed out that Air China has concluded bilateral code-sharing agreements with five Star carriers in the past six months and has since not concluded any deals with non-Star airlines. Spohr also confirmed talks with Shanghai Airlines. -JF
Thomas Cook AG, Germany's struggling tourism giant half-owned by Lufthansa, is considering entering the low-fare airline market, according to German press reports. Part of the 35-aircraft fleet of "Thomas Cook 'powered by Condor'" will be rededicated to a low-fare operation, the reports said.
