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 threat of a strike by attendants at Air New Zealand’s subsidiary Zeal has re-emerged after mediation failed to produce a contract agreement last week. The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) said Zeal attendants will strike for four days from May 7. Zeal employees crew the Air NZ Airbus A320 aircraft primarily on NZ-Australia and Pacific routes. Air NZ has offered a pay increase, but Zeal attendants say this would still put them far below wage levels of workers directly employed by Air NZ.
United managed a first-quarter loss of $382 million — less than the same period last year — and it cut costs more than earlier predictions. On a GAAP basis, the deficit compared to a $549 million loss in 2008. Excluding non-cash hedge and other charges, the carrier lost $579 million.
The White House yesterday nominated Robert S. Rivkin of Illinois to be the U.S. Transportation Dept.’s general counsel. Rivkin is a former general counsel of the Chicago Transit Authority, and has held other corporate and legal senior roles.
