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 lead U.S. negotiator believes it is much too early to be talking about withdrawing airline rights if the second stage of the U.S./European Union open-skies talks breaks down — although he also warns that the U.S. has opportunities for counter-measures of its own if the EU follows this course of action.
British Airways said it is gradually bringing its domestic and short-haul flights at Terminal 5 to their full planned schedule in the wake of a horror start to its operation at the new terminal. Yesterday, BA said long-haul flights into T5 were operating as planned, but there were still some domestic and short-haul European cancellations. Yesterday, 340 of the planned 394 flights were planned to operate from T5, with 342 flights today and Wednesday. Flights at Terminals 1 and 4 are operating normally, BA said.
Israel’s El Al is continuing to improve its financial performance despite cost challenges and growing competition, reporting a US$31.7 million profit for 2007, compared with a loss of about the same size in the previous year. El Al said its 2007 revenue was up 16% to US$1.93 billion. The airline had to contend with “a steep upsurge in competition” as well as high fuel prices and “geopolitical conditions worldwide.” Airline executives said El Al is still on track with its 2010 strategic plan.
