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.
Australian regulators are playing a huge role in shaping the future of the country's airline industry. But with crucial rulings looming, the carriers' destinies will soon be back in their own hands.
Qantas plans to boost its regional operation by leasing four more Boeing 717s and ordering three Bombardier Q400s, although it is also trimming one Boeing 787 from its order for that model. The additional aircraft are set to begin arriving in the second half of 2013. The 717s will be leased from Boeing, a Qantas spokesman tells Aviation Week. The carrier is not yet revealing whether they will be operated by a Qantas Group subsidiary or by another carrier. Qantas already leases 13 717s, which are all operated on behalf of Qantas by Cobham Aviation Services.
Australia’s competition watchdog is granting interim approval for Qantas and Emirates Airline to begin some aspects of their proposed partnership, even though a final decision on the linkup is not due until March. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on Dec. 20 granted tentative approval for the partnership in a draft determination. The latest decision allows the two airlines to prepare to implement their plan, pending a final ruling.
