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 Air Transport Association is putting forward a new mechanism for funding the U.S. aviation system, based on a hybrid of flat per-passenger charges and a distance-based fee. The group proposed the new formula to the Senate Finance Committee last week, as committee members consider what changes, if any, should be made to the ticket tax structure that supports FAA. The same proposal will likely be submitted to the House Ways & Means Committee.
The U.S. Transportation Dept. faces a logjam of airline applications for the handful of China routes it will award this year, proving that despite a new air services agreement between the two nations, demand for flights still far outweighs supply.
It looks like it’s finally a good time to be a U.S. legacy airline again. Carriers are cashing in on strong demand, fueling optimism about the crucial summer travel season. Second-quarter results show Delta bouncing to a healthy profit just a few months after emerging from bankruptcy, while American has managed to increase its earnings despite weather headaches. Continental also saw solid gains. Only low-cost giant Southwest has bucked the trend so far, with a significant slide in profits.
