Aviation enthusiasts were gifted a rare treat on the Tauranga Airport runway yesterday, with an Airbus A-320 making its first ever stop in the city.

Landing at midday, the Air New Zealand AirBus A300-232 sat on the runway next to the control tower for about an hour before departing for Palmerston North.

The Air NZ A-320 on the runway at Tauranga Airport. Photo: Supplied.

Tauranga Airport manager Ray Dumble confirms the plane touched down in Tauranga to pick up a group of passengers on a chartered flight bound for the Manawatu city.

At 37 metres in length and a wingspan of 35 metres, the aircraft can comfortably seat 150 passengers and as of January, Air NZ had four of the aircraft on their books.

The Airbus A-320 family consists of short-to-medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger twin-engine jet airliners manufactured by Airbus. The family includes the A-318, A-319, A-320 and A-321.

'It's the first A-320 we have had at Tauranga Airport,” says Ray. 'We have had a 7310 and a 737-800, which is about the same size, but it's the first A-320 we have had.

'There were a number of charters going to Palmerston North yesterday.”

Ray admits the size of the plane would have certainly proved popular, and turned a few heads in the process.

And despite it being the first time a plane of its kind has touched down in Tauranga, the airport is more than equipped to cater for its arrival.

'We had no problems at all as we are configured for that,” explains Ray.