Adrian is Auckland bureau chief for Aviation Week, based in New Zealand. He covers commercial aviation in the Asia-Pacific region.
Adrian was previously based in Aviation Week’s Washington office for nine years, writing for a range of the group’s publications and covering many aspects of the commercial aviation industry. He has won Australasian and international awards for his aviation writing.
Prior to joining Aviation Week in 2002, Adrian covered aviation industry and policy issues for two other publishing companies in Washington. He has also worked for newspapers in Texas and New Zealand, covering a wide range of topics. Adrian graduated from Auckland University with a degree in history and English in 1992.
After several rounds of hearings and submissions, the Hong Kong Air Transport Licensing Authority (ATLA) said it would not award the required license to Jetstar Hong Kong. The application was filed in June 2013, and while Jetstar and Qantas executives remained optimistic, the chances of approval appeared more remote as the process dragged on.
ICAO found oversight problems with Thailand’s Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) during a safety audit earlier this year, and as a result some countries—including Japan— have restricted new service by Thai airlines.
The carrier’s previous CEO, Stefan Pichler, departed to lead Air Berlin in February, although he remained as a board member with Fiji Airways. The carrier confirmed it was interviewing three candidates in April, and Viljoen was believed to be one of them.
