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.
U.K. airport operator BAA yesterday revealed the extent of the financial hit it took during last month's security scare, with passenger traffic and revenue lower than expected in August. Passenger numbers were down 5%, compared with earlier forecasts, and the total of lost revenue and extra security costs was GBP13 million (US$24.4 million). Overall, passenger traffic was up by just 0.3% compared to August 2005. U.K. domestic traffic was most affected, down 7.6% for the month.
Boeing completed the debut flight of its Large Cargo Freighter -- a modified 747-400 -- on Saturday, launching the flight test program for this aircraft. The first LCF took off from Taiwan's international airport for a two-hour flight. Boeing test pilot Joe MacDonald said the aircraft handled so well that "quite often during the flight, it was easy to forget you were in an LCF rather than a regular 747-400." Eventually, three LCFs, will be used to ferry 787 sections to Seattle. Taiwan's Evergreen Group is modifying the three aircraft.
Continental warned that advance bookings are running slightly behind the levels seen a year ago, although the airline still expects small load factor and yield improvements in the third quarter. The airline's guidance update "paints a somewhat discouraging near-term demand picture," said JP Morgan analyst Jamie Baker. "It is becoming increasingly apparent that the industry is experiencing demand weakness, which we attribute primarily to heightened security measures and [the] resulting sluggish start to the business travel season," Baker said.
