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.
Swiss posted a CHF98 million (US$79 million) operating profit in the first half of 2006, up from a CHF9 million operating loss a year earlier. Revenues were up 11.7% at CHF1.9 billion (US$1.5 billion). Swiss said it benefited from the strong economic development in all of its important markets. CEO Christoph Franz pointed out that the airline needed an average 5%-8% operating margin to be able to fund future growth. Swiss plans to add two Airbus A340s to its long-haul fleet next year and is considering two more. -JF
Swiss yesterday retired its last Embraer 145 after only six years of service; the aircraft made a scheduled flight from Zurich to Venice before being pulled out of revenue service. Swiss predecessor Crossair ordered 25 Embraer 145s in 1998 as part of a larger fleet overhaul in which it also launched the Embraer 170/190 family. Crossair took delivery of the 145s between 2000 and 2002, but following its revamp as a mainline carrier Swiss found the 50-seaters no longer suitable for its strategy.
The new owners of Brazilian airline Varig are hoping to reestablish stable operations soon, following the carrier's suspension of most services. Volo do Brasil, a group of Brazilian and U.S. investors, bought Varig this month at an auction in Rio de Janeiro, assuming liabilities in excess of $600 million. This helped avert the carrier's imminent liquidation, but the company still faces major obstacles in its struggle to become a viable enterprise.
