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.
Many have wondered whether Air Berlin could survive the slow winter season without another capital injection and/or loan from its biggest shareholder, Etihad Airways. After all, the airline's reserves had been shrinking and another short-term restructuring program, Turbine 2013, was announced.
When Europe's second-tier airlines started their slow slide into deficits and cutbacks 10 years ago, there was always hope that somebody would make an investment and rescue them. But several years into this deteriorating situation, there is no money left in Europe to spend on bailing out airlines.
African carrier Fastjet has signed an option to buy insolvent South African low-fare airline 1time. After the deal is confirmed, flight operations are to be resumed with an initial fleet of up to three MD-80s, but Fastjet says the re-launch will not occur until early 2013. Fastjet would pay a nominal price of ZAR1 ($0.12) for the grounded airline.
