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 message from the regional aviation industry to Australia’s new government is that more infrastructure spending is desperately needed and that some proposed policies would create financial problems for carriers. Government leaders are not paying enough attention to the national aviation system, says Michael Bridge, chairman of the Regional Aviation Association of Australia. “Rails, sea ports and roads are their mantra … Aviation – let alone regional aviation – hardly gets a mention,” Bridge stated at the RAAA annual meeting Sept. 16. in Coolum
Virgin Blue CEO John Borghetti stresses that the carrier’s plan to form partnerships with overseas carriers remains its best option, despite knockbacks from regulators on two of the three proposed joint ventures. “We still believe this is the right strategy for Virgin Blue,” Borghetti said this week in speech at a Financial Services Council event. He was referring specifically to a proposed JV with Delta Air Lines, but the sentiment also applied to deals with Air New Zealand and Etihad Airways.
Virgin Group head Richard Branson claims Australian regulators are not acting fairly by ruling against a Virgin Blue-Air New Zealand joint venture and at the same time renewing a Qantas code share with South African Airways. Branson noted that the Qantas-SAA agreement was approved again despite concerns about reduced competition. Virgin Blue subsidiary V Australia has announced it will pull out of the South African market because it sees little prospect of making a profit as a minor player in competition with Qantas and SAA.
