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 U.S. Transportation Dept. yesterday granted tentative antitrust immunity approval for Continental to join the Star Alliance, and also to form an expanded transatlantic joint venture involving three other Star airlines. In its show cause order, the DOT rejected recommendations from competing carriers to impose new carve-outs on the joint venture and alliance. In addition, DOT decided to eventually remove limited existing carve-outs on transatlantic routes, although it will retain restrictions on some U.S.-Canada routes.
American saw its March mainline loads drop 4.8 points year-on-year to 79.2%, an even larger decline than the 2.9 points in February. Part of the reason for the steeper drop was the timing of Easter, which falls in April rather than March this year. This should help prop up April numbers. American’s mainline traffic sank 10.9% on a 5.6% capacity cut in March, with most of the damage coming in the international market.
Executives from the oneworld alliance plan to start a series of meetings this week to look for more ways to use the alliance to reduce costs. This group will bring together the senior executives responsible for cost reduction at the oneworld members. Its first meeting will be April 7 at the oneworld Vancouver offices. Oneworld Managing Partner John McCulloch notes that individual carriers already have their own cost reduction programs, but they hope to gain additional benefits by “adopting an alliance approach.”
