Gregory Polek has spent his entire career in aviation journalism with AIN, starting as a proofreader and assistant to then-managing editor Mary Mahoney in 1995 after serving an internship with&nbsp;New Jersey Monthly&nbsp;magazine and completing his B.A. degree in English/Writing at New Jersey’s William Paterson College. By 1997 Polek accepted a position as an associate editor, covering the regional airline beat for&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;in place of retiring industry veteran Don Anderson. The assignment took Polek across North America and Europe to profile regional airlines varying in size and mission from the likes of floatplane operators Kenmore Air and Chalk’s Ocean Airways to regional jet operators such as SkyWest and American Eagle. Today, in his dual role as Air Transport Editor and International Airshow Editor, Polek writes, edits, and manages AIN’s commercial aviation content while overseeing each of the company’s daily international air show publications in Paris, Farnborough, Singapore, and Dubai. Most recently Polek has assumed oversight of daily coverage of the Helicopter Association International’s annual Heli-Expo convention.

Senior Editor

Gregory Polek

The White House has condemned the Chinese government for its April 25 letter to 36 foreign airlines demanding that they change their websites and promotional materials to omit references to Taiwan as a sovereign country. China continues to claim Taiwan belongs to mainland China under its “One China” policy, an assertion Taiwan, also known as the Republic of China, rejects.&nbsp;Nevertheless, the Trump administration has called the Chinese Civil Aviation Authority’s effort to require airlines to do the same a case of “political correctness” and “Orwellian nonsense.”

 


“This is...part of a growing trend by the Chinese Communist Party to impose its political views on American citizens and private companies,” said the White House in a May 5 statement. “China’s internal Internet repression is world famous. China’s effort to export its censorship and political correctness to Americans and the rest of the free world will be resisted...The United States strongly objects to China’s attempts to compel private firms to use specific language of a political nature in their publicly available content.”

 


Notwithstanding the U.S. government’s objections, Delta Air Lines earlier this year publicly apologized for references to Taiwan and Tibet as countries on its website. Lufthansa also changed some of the wording on its website in an effort to comply with the CAAC’s demands, as has British Airways.

 


Since the White House issued its condemnation, Beijing has responded forcefully, calling on the U.S. to respect its sovereignty.

 


“Whatever the U.S. says will never change the objective fact that there is only one China in the world and [that] the Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan regions are an inalienable part of China’s territory,” said the Chinese foreign ministry in a statement released Monday.

 


“Foreign enterprises operating in China should respect China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, abide by China’s law and respect the national sentiment of the Chinese people.”

News about commercial airlines, including regulations, aircraft orders, safety, acquisitions, and mergers.

White House Blasts China for Taiwan Demands of Airlines

People’s Republic retort calls for respect of its sovereignty

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charles Alcock

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Agreement between start-ups could lead to orders for up to 15 aircraft

Skyhop Plans Island Routes With Noemi's Electric Seaplane

Howard Hardee

Airline plans to gradually replace its Embraer E-Jet fleet

A220’s Performance Drives BermudAir’s Fleet Growth

Partners say eVTOLs could accelerate response times in crowded Indian cities

Air India Backs SkyDrive Emergency Medical eVTOL Plans

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

Rival Boeing arguably claimed bragging rights at the Farnborough International show

Airbus Balances Shareholder Returns and New Aircraft

New developments at airports including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

Connections to London Heathrow and Manchester airports will start first

Virgin Firms Up eVTOL Air Taxi Alliance with Joby

News and developments about everything that goes into the cabin of an aircraft, from floor coverings to headliners, with a special emphasis on in-flight entertainment, communications and other electronics for passengers. If it is in the cabin of an aircraft, it’s covered here.

More In Airlines

Skyhop Plans Island Routes With Noemi's Electric Seaplane

Agreement between start-ups could lead to orders for up to 15 aircraft

A220’s Performance Drives BermudAir’s Fleet Growth

Airline plans to gradually replace its Embraer E-Jet fleet

Air India Backs SkyDrive Emergency Medical eVTOL Plans

Partners say eVTOLs could accelerate response times in crowded Indian cities

Airbus Balances Shareholder Returns and New Aircraft

Rival Boeing arguably claimed bragging rights at the Farnborough International show

Virgin Firms Up eVTOL Air Taxi Alliance with Joby

Connections to London Heathrow and Manchester airports will start first

ATR Chases New Regional Markets for Twin Turboprops

Iran war and wider geopolitical pressure stall buying decisions

Embraer Racks Up E-Jet Orders at Farnborough

30 firm orders led by Abra

Gulf Air May Buy JetZero’s Blended-wing-body Z4

Japan Airlines also expresses interest at Farnborough Airshow

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN