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 first signs of strengthening passenger demand are giving U.S. airlines hope that they have turned the corner toward financial recovery, and that the winter season may not be a struggle for survival after all. The level of optimism varies widely from one carrier to another, but all are seeing encouraging trends. This is particularly true for premium demand, which will be the key to boosting yields back to viable levels. And a round of big financing deals has given the major airlines enough breathing space to stave off the threat of bankruptcy for now.
Delta yesterday became the latest U.S. carrier to report a third-quarter profit excluding special items, with the airline echoing industry optimism that demand is finally starting to strengthen. While its net loss of $161 million was worse than last year’s $50 million loss, the carrier made a $51 million profit excluding special items — a $115 million improvement from the same quarter in 2008. Delta saw an operating profit of $204 million in this year’s third quarter.
Continental narrowed its third-quarter loss to $18 million, compared to a $230 million deficit a year earlier, as the carrier sees encouraging signs that premium demand may pick up soon. The airline actually managed a $2 million profit excluding special items, leading CEO Larry Kellner to describe the third-quarter as “essentially breakeven.” However, he stressed that this is still disappointing in a quarter in which Continental “should have produced a couple of million in profit.”
