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.
Airbus has completed modification work on fewer than one-quarter of the in-service A380 fleet, fixes that are required to strengthen wing rib-feet and ribs. Moving all 122 aircraft through the retrofit program will likely take until the end of 2015.
Air Berlin and SAS Group, both among the worst financial performers in the European air transport sector during the past several years, have launched initiatives to obtain fresh capital. Air Berlin confirmed it plans to increase the size of a bond issue placed originally in April 2011 by a further €50 million ($68 million), while SAS plans to ask its annual shareholder meeting to approve a convertible bond and/or a capital increase.
Airbus is looking at an increase in narrowbody production even before the transition from the current version of the Airbus A320 family to the A320neo, which is scheduled to be completed by 2018. “There is an upside potential [to the production rate] and we are studying it,” says Airbus CEO Fabrice Bregier. He hints that a decision is due to take place within the next few months.
