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.
Scandinavian Airlines’ downhill slide is continuing and the airline is responding with more staff cuts. CEO Rickard Gustafson said on Wednesday that “delivering productivity gains and cost savings will create redundancies that must be taken out.” The airline is in the process of eliminating about 300 administrative positions, adding to thousands of jobs cut in the past several years. SAS has not made a profit since 2007. Richardson did not specify how many additional positions will be taken out.
Air Berlin has drawn down almost the entire credit facility only six months after new shareholder Etihad Airways provided the financing. The financially struggling German carrier stated that it had used a €169.2 million ($209.1 million) Etihad loan by June 30. In December 2011, Air Berlin announced that it would have access to a total of $255 million in financing from Etihad over a five-year term. At last December’s exchange rate, that was equivalent to $196 million.
