Grand Caravan. Tauranga Airport is also the hub for regional airline Sunair. It operates scheduled flights to Claris, Motiti Island, Whangarei and Whitianga with its 3-seat Cessna 172 Skyhawk and 5-seat Piper PA23 Aztec aircraft. There are several scenic and charter airlines based at the airport as well as extensive skydiving, glider and helicopter operations. The airport is home to a large number of general aviation aircraft, the majority of which is stored in hangars to the east and northwest of the terminal. As of 2017, Tauranga Airport is the tenth busiest airport in New Zealand based on passenger traffic and the fifth busiest airport in New Zealand based on aircraft movements. It is the busiest airport in the Bay of Plenty region in terms of both passenger traffic and aircraft movements. Tauranga Airport has been the host of the biennial Sportavex fly-in and airshow since 2004. From 2010 this became part of a larger event, the Tauranga City Airshow, which is run by the local Classic Flyers museum and is also known as Classics of the Sky. Replacement Airport In 2006, a feasibility study was conducted to investigate the possibility of building a new airport at Paengaroa or Pyes Pa, serving both Tauranga and Rotorua, in an attempt to attract more services to the region, including international flights. However, it was determined that Tauranga Airport had yet to reach full operational capacity, and the cost and inconvenient location of a potential new airport meant that the idea was dropped. Airlines and destinations Passenger Numbers See also List of airports in New Zealand List of airlines of New Zealand Transport in New Zealand References Additional Sources NZAIP Volume 4 AD External links Tauranga City Airport Tauranga City Airshow Classic Flyers Museum Airports in New Zealand Tauranga Buildings and structures in Tauranga Transport buildings and structures in the Bay of Plenty Region