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.
Russian carrier Aeroflot expects profits for 2003 to fall short of its own expectations. CEO Valery Okulov revised his forecast downwards from US$114 million to US$100 million, following weaker figures in the first half of the year. Aeroflot posted a profit of $20.9 million, compared with $19.9 million a year ago. Okulov said the airline has grown most on routes to the Asia/Pacific region, but the area was hit hard after the SARS pneumonia outbreak. Aeroflot is in negotiations with Emirates and Cathay Pacific over interlining agreements, Okulov said. -JF
Crossair founder Moritz Suter plans to set up a new airline, following massive cutbacks to the network of Swiss International Air Lines. Suter wants to start services from Lugano to Geneva on Oct. 28 and expand on more routes later. Suter had founded Crossair in the 1970s and turned it into one of Europe's biggest regional carriers. He was ousted by the new controlling stakeholders last year, when Crossair was relaunched as Swiss International. Suter is looking at operating Saab 2000s phased out by Swiss. -JF
Swiss International Air Lines and pilots represented by the Swiss Pilots Association (SPA) have reached an agreement on several contractual changes that take the airline a step closer to meeting its restructuring targets. SPA, speaking for former Crossair pilots, agreed to the layoffs of 559 pilots. In return, Swiss will not launch the previously planned subsidiary "Swiss Express," into which the regional operation would have been integrated.
