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.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC’s) renewal of a partnership between Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand partnership grants some relief to conditions proposed in an earlier draft ruling. According to the ACCC, the two airlines can continue their joint venture on Australia-New Zealand routes through Oct. 31, 2018, a five-year extension on the current authorization.
Virgin Australia says there is no firm timetable for its decision on whether to purchase Boeing 787s or Airbus A350s, and it appears that any such order could be further away than expected. The carrier has been stating for several months that it is weighing ordering A350s or 787s, and executives have previously indicated that they would resolve the question by year’s end. But CEO John Borghetti said during the carrier’s Aug. 30 earnings call that a 6-12 month time frame is more likely for a decision, or perhaps even beyond that.
Strong financial results from Air New Zealand are supporting the extensive fleet spending that the carrier plans over the next three years. Air New Zealand’s net profit of NZ$182 million ($142.3 million) for the year through June 30 was its strongest in five years, and its third-best ever. The carrier’s senior executives stress that this will help it reinvest in the business, and part of that will be spending on aircraft.
