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 arrival of Air Pacific’s first Airbus A330-200 marks the start of a year of significant changes for the Fijian carrier’s fleet. By the end of 2013, Air Pacific expects to have returned both leased Boeing 747-400s, introduced three A330s, and upgraded and repainted its Boeing 737-800s and one 737-700. The airline also is rebranding itself as Fiji Airways.
Hawaiian Airlines is unlikely to add any more destinations this year beyond the ones already announced, says CEO Mark Dunkerley. The carrier has “pretty much taken care of potential growth” in 2013 with the introduction of a new route to Auckland, New Zealand, and the planned start of service to Taipei, Taiwan, and Sendai, Japan, Dunkerley tells Aviation Week at the launch of the Auckland route.
The main goal of the past few years for Air New Zealand and Qantas has been turning around the losses in their international operations. Now, there are clear signs that their revival plans are succeeding. This is particularly true for Air New Zealand, whose long-haul unit has achieved its first half-year profit in five years. While Qantas is not quite that far along, it is undeniably heading in the right direction, with its international operation shrinking its loss dramatically in its latest earnings report.
