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.
AirTran Airways’ recent push into the Milwaukee market is just the first phase of its ambitious expansion plans for this year, as the low-cost carrier continues to defy the industry’s conservative growth trend.
Last year’s strong increase in international traffic will probably not be repeated this year, with a December growth slowdown pointing to a wider trend, according to new data released by the International Air Transport Association yesterday. International traffic grew by 7.4% in 2007, up considerably from the 5.9% gain in 2006. However, the December increase was just 6.7%, after a 9.3% rise in November. “This step down reflects the impact of rising prices and economic uncertainty that grew more acute in December,” IATA said.
Southwest CEO Gary Kelly yesterday stressed the airline will not be left out in the cold if industry consolidation occurs, and he also reinforced the importance of adding international code-share partners to meet revenue growth targets.
