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 U.S. Transportation Department (DOT) is asking Delta Air Lines and the Virgin Blue Group to provide more information on their proposed joint venture, which may signal that regulators are reconsidering their preliminary rejection of the deal. The DOT says the request for more information is due to a revised application submitted by the two carriers after the tentative rejection of antitrust immunity. It also follows a strongly worded letter in support of the transpacific joint venture from the Australian government (Aviation Daily, Oct. 17).
The U.S. aviation industry will have to navigate a vastly altered political landscape in Congress next year. Not only are new leaders taking the reins in the House, Democrats are also losing a lawmaker who has been their dominant voice on aviation policy for more than two decades.
The FAA reauthorization bill is expected to look a lot more industry-friendly if it is revised next year by incoming House transportation leader Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.). Mica would scrap controversial clauses that were introduced by Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.), the current chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee who suffered an election defeat on Nov. 2. Many of Oberstar’s proposals have been supported by labor but heavily criticized by Mica and the airline industry.
