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 delays in Airbus A380 deliveries are forcing airlines to continue operating higher fuel-burn aircraft and carry the cost of unused infrastructure. Some are even still scrambling to fill capacity demands. The freighter conversion business is also falling victim to the A380 postponement. Companies that have taken slots at cargo conversion facilities now are struggling to find the airplanes to be modified since a number of 747-400 passenger aircraft are being forced into prolonged service life, industry officials say.
Airbus is starting to implement the first elements of a recovery plan to increase its competitiveness. The effort has taken on further importance as the company acknowledges A380 profitablility will be pushed back almost a decade.
South African Airways is looking at an initial public offering as early as next summer, revealed CEO Khaya Ngqula. The IPO would follow a $500 million recapitalization program that the company hopes to complete by the end of the current fiscal year. Ngqula's comments come as a surprise, as earlier plans called for an IPO in the 2010 timeframe; however, the airline says it needs the funds for further expansion.
