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.
Lack of situational awareness was believed, as of late last week, to be the most likely cause of the runway incursion accident at Milan's Linate airport, resulting in the crash of a Cessna Citation CJ2 business jet and an SAS Scandinavian Airlines MD-87--killing all 114 on both aircraft and four on the ground.
The European Union has opened talks with the U.S. on airline subsidies, reflecting concern that the U.S. government gave its carriers an unfair advantage with bailouts that allowed them to offer deep discounts on transatlantic routes. The move is part of a package proposed by European Union Transport Commissioner Loyola de Palacio, presented last week in Brussels, that is intended to lessen the economic effects of events of Sept. 11 on the European airline industry.
Bailout funding of SF450 million ($280 million) provided late last week by the Swiss government helped the country's flag carrier, Swissair, to gradually resume operations while readying a vast restructuring. In the midst of an acrimonious dispute with banks Credit Suisse (CS) and Union de Banques Suisses (UBS) as well as fuel providers, cash-strapped Swissair's fleet was grounded on Oct. 2, and the ailing group filed for bankruptcy 24 hr. later.
