AVION TOURISM #76 Special Edition for Milan Bergamo Airport Airports

THE Milan Bergamo AIRPORT

rewarded by its customers

In the second quarter of 2022, in a period in which the level of airport customer satisfaction is falling on both a European and a national level, Milan Bergamo Airport sees its efforts rewarded and, in the survey carried out by ACI World, the international airport association, the already high levels of appreciation for the quality of services and spaces have seen a significant increase both in comparison to the previous quarter and to the corresponding period from last year.

The periodical study on the level of appreciation among airport users, part of the ASQ programme run by the Airports Council International (ACI) World and involving 300 of the most important airports on an international level, is evidence for Bergamo Airport of an overall level of satisfaction of 4.5 (out of a maximum of 5), compared to an average international value of 4.3 and an average European and Italian level of 4.1.

These results concern all levels of the airport as a whole, with six-percentage point increase in appreciation compared to the previous quarter, allowing the airport to further distinguish itself in the international air transportation sector, which has seen a fall in levels of satisfaction of between one and two percentage points in the various continents.

Passengers at Bergamo Airport expressed the highest appreciation for business services (4.5, the highest in Italy), but also were considerably happy with the high levels of accessibility to the airport (4.7), the clarity of signage (4.6), the use of spaces within the terminal (4.3) and comfort and cleanliness (4.5).

Furthermore, another highly important factor was the appreciation for the professionalism of support staff. Value for money was stressed by passengers, who particularly appreciate the offers from food outlets and shops (4.3).

The excellent results presented above are a demonstration of the attention paid by Milan Bergamo Airport in understanding the needs of its clients, who are young (65% under the age of 45), their high computer and internet skills, (95% use internet to book their flights and check in), the significant use of public transport to reach the airport (approximately 40%) and travel for non-tourist reasons (60%), business (20%) or personal or family reasons (20%).

A 20 YEAR “LOVE AFFAIR”

between RYANAIR and milan BERGAMO airport

Emilio Bellingardi, Michael O'Leary e Giacomo Cattaneo

14 February 2002 saw the beginning of a twenty-year collaboration between Ryanair, SACBO and Milan Bergamo Airport. The relationship was inaugurated with the incoming flight from Frankfurt (Hahn), which hosted the wedding between Anja Schmitz and Thomas Pluta from the town of Andernach. Ryanair opened the route to and from London (Stansted) in April of the same year. In 2003, a year on from the inaugural flight, the CEO of Ryanair Michael O’Leary inaugurated the Irish airline’s base in Bergamo, with the positioning of 3 aircraft and the reaching of 1.3 million passengers in just twelve months.

Over the last 20 years, Ryanair has invested extensively in its presence and operations at Milan Bergamo, increasing both the number of aircraft based there and the number of international and domestic routes, strengthening the role of Bergamo as Ryanair’s main Italian base. From the 34 million passengers transported to and from Milan Bergamo Airport in the first decade of activity, at the end of 2019 Ryanair reached a total of 110 million passengers.

Following the pause imposed by the pandemic, the Irish airline spearheaded the recovery of the air transportation sector, assigning the first of its new ecological B737-800 Gamechanger aircraft to Bergamo in July 2021. 11 of the 20 aircraft currently based at Bergamo are Gamechangers, reducing Ryanair’s fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and noise emissions at Bergamo.

This twentieth anniversary year for Ryanair and Bergamo promises to be the best ever for Bergamo, with 109 summer routes operated by Ryanair from Milan Bergamo, which will be seeing even more passengers in 2022 than in the pre-COVID 2019 period.

“This is an important anniversary for the airport, for Ryanair, for SACBO and for the city of Bergamo - stated Emilio Bellingardi, managing director of SACBO, - the ability to sense and understand the new business model for air transportation twenty years ago has led to an epic change, one in which Milan Bergamo Airport has played a significant role and which has resulted in undeniable benefits for the entire country. The model proposed by Ryanair has served as a forerunner for the process of digitalisation that is now being evoked for a wide range of sectors”.

Michael O’Leary, CEO of Ryanair, stated: “Today sees the celebration of the 20th anniversary of our first “Love Flight” to Milan Bergamo Airport, with the highest level of operations ever, offering citizens and visitors to Bergamo 109 routes - 3 of which are new - to exciting destinations such as Corfu, Madeira, Cephalonia and Valencia. Together with SACBO, we have written a thrilling story of success, built on passion and hard work. We will continue to work together with our partner SACBO in order to build further growth. We have based 20 aircraft at Milan Bergamo, and last July the airport saw the debut of the most efficient, comfortable and silent B737 Gamechanger ever. Ryanair is one of Italy’s most important foreign investors; we have invested more than 2 billion dollars in Bergamo alone, providing support for more than 900 generously paid jobs and helping to create more than 8,600 collateral jobs. The 20-year love affair between Ryanair and Bergamo continues! We love you Bergamo!”

BGY 3rd LEVEL AIRPORT CARBON ACCREDITATION

After a timely verification of the requirements, ACI Europe has confirmed again for 2022 the SACBO Group’s third-level certification (so-called "Optimization") of the Airport Carbon Accreditation.

In addition to certifying the continuous reduction of the carbon footprint produced by aeronautical activities and services carried out in the airport, this third-level certification is a testimony of considerable importance in terms of the commitment and actions developed to achieve the reduction objective for CO2 emissions. Also involved in the emission reduction plan are third parties and the stakeholders of the SACBO Group, through actions and initiatives which aimed at their participation and at raising awareness and sharing the objective underlying the plan.

The increase to the third level of the Airport Carbon Accreditation was obtained in 2020, when the SACBO Group continued its commitment to environmental sustainability while operating during the health emergency caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Airports Council International (ACI)

has confirmed the excellent level of quality

of the services provided at Milan Bergamo Airport

The periodical survey of the level of satisfaction among airport users, which forms part of the ASQ programme run by the Airports Council International (ACI) World and involving 300 of the most important airports in the world, has confirmed - on the basis of data from the 1st quarter of 2022 - the excellent reviews provided by passengers at Milan Bergamo Airports, which have contributed to the obtaining in 2021 of recognition as the best European airport in the 5-to-15-million-passengers-per-year category.

Passengers at Milan Bergamo Airport have expressed satisfaction and consider as examples of national excellence the business services, the ease of reaching the airport, ease of access to the terminal and the various areas, the clarity of information displays with flight information updated in real time, and the quality of the shops, both in terms of the range offered and value for money.

The utmost appreciation was also expressed for the politeness and the proactive attitude of staff from all areas, the minimal waiting times (at check-in and passport control in particular), the cleanliness of areas, the availability of toilets and services dedicated to mothers and children.

Lastly, particular appreciation was expressed for the new gate for Schengen flights, which was inaugurated at the end of 2021, with a focus on the rational layout, the comfort and the increased availability of seating. In terms of numbers, the satisfaction index for business passengers at Milan Bergamo Airport is 4.4 compared to a world and European average of 4.3 and a national average of 4.0.

Also of note is the level of satisfaction of tourist passengers travelling from Bergamo, which stands at 4.3, in line with the world and European averages of 4.3, while the Italian average is 4.1.

THE 50th ANNIVERSARY of the first scheduled flight with a special stamp cancellation

from POSTE ITALIANE

Annullo filatelico di Poste Italiane del Primo Volo Civile decollato dall’Aeroporto di Milano Bergamo

SACBO celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the first civil flight to take off from Milan Bergamo Airport, headed for Rome Ciampino, with a special stamp cancellation from Poste Italiane.

The stamping ceremony took place at the terminal entrance in the area in front of the sculpture “Il Caravaggio” by Giacomo Manzù, in the presence of the President of SACBO, Giovanni Sanga, Rosa D’Amico, the Director of the Bergamo 1 branch, Annamaria Gallo, the Philately Representative for the North-West Macro Area and Giusy Montanino, the Philately Representative for the province of Bergamo and Sondrio.

The cancellation, produced in a round format, surrounded by the legend 50th Anniversary of the First Scheduled Flight and the text “Milan Bergamo Airport”, shows the two dates 2022-1972 and the text BGYFLY mirrored, with the image of two aircraft flying in opposite directions, representing take-off and landing.

For the occasion, SACBO has created a special edition postcard in collaboration with Poste Italiane which carries the text: “Flying the world for 50 years” and a photograph of the runway with an aircraft taking off, taken by Kamal Haroui.

From 21 March onwards, the stamp was available for the next one hundred and twenty days, from the philately counter in the Bergamo Central Post Office in Via Locatelli, 11, and then it was showned at the Historical Museum of Communication in Rome, becoming part of the historical postal collection.

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the first scheduled flight from Milan Bergamo Airport, SACBO has produced a documentary film that will be presented during an event at the Teatro Donizetti in Bergamo, in the presence of the highest authorities and of three passengers who were on the flight that took off on 21 March 1972 for Rome Ciampino. Other figures from the period include the motorcycling champion Giacomo Agostini and the Olympic athlete Vincenzo Guerini. The actor Giorgio Pasotti read an account of the day, and the pianist Giovanni Allevi provided the music.

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