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.
Germany's pilot union, Vereinigung Cockpit (VC), is accusing racing champion Niki Lauda's low-fare startup Fly Niki of wage dumping. According to VC, the airline has offered senior captains basic monthly salaries of about EUR3,000 (US$3,753), compared with the EUR7,000 (US$8,756) per month the same captain would have made at Aero Lloyd Austria, the Aero Lloyd subsidiary Lauda bought late last year. The union also claims crews have worked without pay for three months. The cockpit crews involved all previously worked for Aero Lloyd Austria.
Swiss International Air Lines appears to be moving closer to reaching an agreement over a much-needed bank loan. According to Swiss press reports, banks UBS and Credit Suisse are prepared to give Swiss a CHF350 million (US$278.9 million) loan and could finalize the deal within two to three weeks. Swiss also asked its other major shareholders for financial support.
The European airline industry is watching the first alliance between low-fare airlines emerge, a move that, if successful, other carriers might follow.
