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.
Aviation groups are urging Congress to provide full funding for the FAA’s contract tower program as it develops Fiscal Year 2011 appropriations legislation. In a letter to leaders of the House and Senate appropriations committees, the groups ask that $125.3 million be provided for the contract tower program, and $10 million for the related contract tower cost-sharing program. Signing the letter were nine associations representing airport, airline, air traffic control and manufacturing industry segments.
As House and Senate lawmakers prepare to hammer out a compromise on FAA reauthorization legislation, airport groups are lining up other organizations to help push for House language on airport ticket taxes. Airports Council International-North America and the American Association of Airport Executives are among 19 groups that signed a letter to congressional leaders urging them to approve an increase in the passenger facility charge (PFC). The organizations represent the airport, engineering, transportation and construction industries.
With China Eastern poised to make an alliance decision soon, Oneworld executives believe they have presented a strong case for the carrier to join their grouping. China Eastern has signaled it will make a choice by the end of this month, but industry sources say an announcement is expected within the next 10 days – possibly on April 16. All three of the major alliances have presented proposals to China Eastern in recent months, but the carrier has given no sign of what its decision will be.
