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.
August data show continued strong growth in demand for U.S. major airlines, although the fall travel season could still put the brakes on this trend. Revenue and yield both saw double-digit percentage increases versus the same month in 2009, according to the Air Transport Association. “Spending on air travel remains well above last year’s depressed levels, but the industry is wary of a possible slowdown in the nation’s economic recovery as it enters the traditionally slower fall period,” says ATA President James May.
Air New Zealand will look at new destinations in the U.S., China, India and possibly South Africa when its Boeing 787s begin arriving in 2013. South America is also “very much on our radar,” CEO Rob Fyfe says. He believes New Zealand is “perfectly positioned” to become a new hub linking Asia and South America.
The global airline industry looks set to record a far healthier 2010 profit than was forecast just three months ago, although there are enough warning signs to indicate that earnings will dip again next year. The International Air Transport Association expects airlines to record an $8.9-billion profit for 2010, up considerably from the $2.5-billion gain it predicted in June. In its first look ahead at 2011, IATA sees the industry profit shrinking to $5.3 billion.
