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.
Thai Lion Air has cleared the last regulatory hurdle needed to start domestic operations, although it still needs further approvals to launch international flights. Thailand’s Department of Civil Aviation has issued an air operator’s certificate to the carrier, which is a joint-venture low-cost carrier established by Indonesia’s Lion Air and an unnamed local investor. This was the second major regulatory approval required after the carrier gained its air operator’s license in October.
Taiwan’s TransAsia Airways has begun the process of setting up a low-cost carrier (LCC) affiliate, and another Taiwanese carrier, China Airlines, is also planning to establish an LCC in this market. TransAsia appears to be closest to launching its operation, as it has recently received approval to proceed from Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration. China Airlines has only confirmed its intentions and has yet to provide specifics about its LCC plans, although it could reveal more by the end of the year.
The prospect of the increasing control of Virgin Australia by its foreign airline partners has prompted a bitter war of words with its rival Qantas, and has also angered a bloc of Virgin Australia’s smaller independent shareholders.
