There was none so excited about the arrival of Kiwi Air in Tauranga than schoolboy Bailey Pellow.

'We now have a choice and we now have competition. That is cool for Tauranga," says Bailey.

Full but late - Kiwi Air arrives in Tauranga. Photo: Supplied.

The year 11 Mount Maunganui College student can take some credit for the arrival of the airline in Tauranga yesterday.

When the fledgling airline pulled out of Queenstown, Bailey created a Facebook page inviting Kiwi Air to Tauranga.

'Get that Saab into Tauranga,” he told Kiwi Air at the time. ”We need some of that action.”

And the action came yesterday, when the Saab 340A touched down in Tauranga for the first time – a forgivable 20 minutes late.

'It looked about 80 per cent full, about 30 passengers.”

And Bailey was there. He took a period off school – perhaps one-and-a-half - to be there for Kiwi Air's arrival.

'It was very exciting. It was exciting for Tauranga.”

The Saab touching down only confirmed for Bailey that one day he wants to be at the controls.

'I want to be a pilot, even more so now.”

Bailey's campaign on behalf of Kiwi Air also earned him a free return flight to Nelson.

'I'll be doing that in the April school holidays. I have never been to the South Island.”

Kiwi flights to Nelson depart at 12.05pm every Tuesday and Saturday, and fly on to Dunedin on Tuesdays.