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.
Tiger Airways Australia says it has confirmed delivery of two more Airbus A320 aircraft, bringing the Tiger fleet in Australia to 12. The new A320s are due to arrive in 2011, Tiger says. They will follow the delivery of the carrier’s tenth aircraft, which is expected by year-end. All three will be based at Melbourne Airport. Meanwhile, Tiger is preparing to open a new base at Melbourne’s Avalon Airport next month. This will give it three bases—the two Melbourne airports, and Adelaide Airport.
Virgin Blue is making a last-ditch effort to overcome regulators’ resistance to its joint venture proposals with overseas airlines, and now the Australian government is wading into the fray to pressure U.S. officials to reverse their initial rejection of one of these deals.
The latest update to Aviation Week’s Top-Performing Airlines (TPA) rankings reveals the remarkable improvement the industry has seen in the six months since the last report. The brightening demand environment is lifting all carriers, but some are faring better than others. The theme from the previous update still holds true—smaller and independent airlines remain a significant presence among the leaders, and their models work just as well in recovery as in recession.
