EWING -- If you were watching planes land at Trenton-Mercer Airport Thursday you might have seen the first landing of Frontier Airlines' newest jet - the Airbus A320neo.
The A320neo - neo stands for new engine option - touched down just before 4:30 p.m. on a flight from Tampa, Fla.
The 186-seat airliner is touted by Airbus, airlines that fly it, and Mercer County, which owns the airport, as quieter, more fuel efficient and with a bigger payload than earlier Airbus models.
The low-cost carrier is currently replacing its Airbus A319s with A320s, which will allow the company to sell 180 to 186 seats per flight, up from the 150 seats on an A319.
Frontier is among the earliest operators of the A320neo in North America. It has of the the 62 it has ordered, Aviation Week.com reports.
In late March, Aviation Week reported Airbus had delivered the first 88 A320neos to 20 airlines around the world and the company plans to deliver about 200 of them this year.
On Thursday, Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes' administration also announced the airport received a "perfect score" on their Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) annual Part 139 inspection.
The inspection was performed Tuesday and Wednesday and was technically scored as "zero deficiency," the county said. The inspection is required for all airports - depending on their type and capabilities - and examines all facets of airport operations, the county said in an announcement.
Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.