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.
FAA yesterday said it will attempt to collect a $10.2 million fine from Southwest for failing to inspect 46 737s for fuselage cracks, and the airline is also being slammed on this issue by prominent lawmakers.
ATA yesterday said it will drop its remaining Chicago Midway scheduled service, which also means the airline will lose its two Mexican routes. The Midway operation “just wasn’t feasible anymore,” an ATA spokesman told The DAILY. ATA’s Midway operation was down to just one gate and the equivalent of two aircraft and five daily departures, after the carrier dropped East Coast routes last year and at the start of this year. The bulk of ATA’s scheduled flying is devoted to its West Coast-Hawaii flights.
Air New Zealand says increases in domestic and international capacity during the second half of 2007 were a major factor in boosting revenue nearly 10% over that period. The carrier saw its operating revenue rise to NZ$2.3 billion (US$1.8 billion) for the six months through Dec. 31. This helped increase net profit by 58% to NZ$115 million. As well as high fuel prices, Air NZ has had to contend with the rapid escalation of the value of the New Zealand dollar to 23-year highs, which is making it harder to attract overseas visitors.
