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.
Lufthansa increased its stake in Italian regional carrier Air Dolomiti to 98.8% by acquiring a 23.7% shareholding formerly owned by the carrier's founder, Alcide Leali. Additionally, an offer to other shareholders closed on June 27. Lufthansa plans to buy the remaining shares floated on the Milan stock exchange in a so-called squeeze-out. Air Dolomiti's stock will be delisted today. -JF
Europe's low-fare airlines should continue their strong growth until 2007, consultants at McKinsey say. The sector will grow about 20% annually, McKinsey estimated in a study presented yesterday. Traditional European carriers will grow roughly 4.5%, McKinsey's Lucio Pompeo said.
Association of European Airlines (AEA) members recorded 0.5% traffic growth in the week ended June 29, continuing a slow air travel recovery after the Iraq war and the SARS pneumonia outbreak. Traffic to Asia was still down 14.9%, but transatlantic demand rebounded 9.1%. Still, AEA's Secretary General Ulrich Schulte-Strathaus noted that this represents less than half the volume lost after the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
