31 July 2023

2008-2012 The new image of Milan Bergamo Airport

Inauguration of the new departure Terminal completing the first phase of the Terminal expansion and upgrading program

In 2008, the network of connections from Milan Bergamo Airport significantly expanded. To accommodate the increasing number of passengers, ongoing infrastructure upgrades brought profound transformations to the terminal, enhancing accessibility, providing more space, and streamlining check-in and security procedures.

Area landside all'Aeroporto di Milano Bergamo. Foto: Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Depositphotos

By summer 2008, Ryanair's destinations increased to 39, 15 more than the previous year. The Irish airline expanded its Italian market, connecting Bergamo to Rome (CIA) and five other Italian destinations (Alghero, Cagliari, Bari, Lamezia Terme, and Trapani).

Myair also expanded its routes to 18 (six more than summer 2007), adding new connections to France, Spain, and Turkey.

Wizz Air invested in Bergamo Airport, opening five new routes (Sofia, Warsaw, Bucharest, Cluj, and Budapest) in addition to the existing Katowice flights from 2004.

In addition to the mentioned airlines, 16 other carriers offered international connections to Bergamo:

alitalia*	air slovakya*	belle air*	Bluair*	bmibaby*	Brussels Airlines	Carpatair	elbafly*	estonia air*	eurofly*

JET2	Meridiana*	neos	skyeurope*	transavia	Tui Fly

* These airlines ceased operations: Alitalia (in 2021 it gave the brand to Ita Airways), Air Slovakya (2010), Belle Air (2013), Blue Air (2022), Bmibaby (2012), Elbafly (2010), Estonia Air (2015), Eurofly (2010, Meridiana (2018), Skyeurope (2009).

Between December 2009 and March 2010, the new departure terminal was inaugurated, marking the first phase of the terminal expansion and upgrading program. This project also included the arrivals area and the construction of a multi-level parking garage, along with architectural elements designed to give the airport a unique and characteristic identity.

The terminal upgrade, funded by a €15 million investment from the management company, further improved the airport's infrastructure and services.

Area airside all'Aeroporto di Milano Bergamo. Foto: Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Depositphotos

The new departure area now spans two levels, covering an expanded area of 10,500 square meters, with 6,000 square meters on the upper level dedicated to new commercial outlets that enrich the food and retail offerings, making the passenger experience more welcoming and comfortable.

Passengers in the departure terminal now have a 300 square meter duty-free area, featuring renowned fashion brands, accessories, and major brands in the food sector. Additionally, local food and wine products are available for purchase.

This project significantly enhanced Bergamo Airport’s image, making the facility more functional, with 11 dedicated security checkpoints and 23 boarding gates.

The terminal now includes a cozy VIP Lounge, a new Sala Amica, and a smoking area with a patio. The terminal walls are adorned with large graphics (wallpaper) that depict the barcode of baggage tags with the IATA code BGY, using different colors to identify the airport areas: green for Schengen flights, orange for non-Schengen flights, and blue for security check and passenger flow areas.

Sala amica all'Aeroporto di Milano Bergamo. Foto: Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Depositphotos

In summer 2009, with the arrival of a new Boeing 737-800, Ryanair introduced four new routes: Malaga, Nantes, Tangier, and Figari (Corsica), bringing the total number of aircraft based at Milan Bergamo Airport to nine. Frequencies were also increased for Cagliari, Fez, Ibiza, and Manchester.

Myair launched a flight with four weekly frequencies to Foggia, and Air Arabia Maroc debuted at the airport with a flight to Casablanca.

Other airlines operating at BGY in summer 2009 were:

Air Arabia	alitalia*	air slovakya*	belle air*	BluE air*	Carpatair	eurofly*	JET2	myair*	Ryanair	skyeurope*	Tui Fly

* These airlines ceased operations: Alitalia (in 2021 it gave the brand to Ita Airways), Air Slovakya (2010), Belle Air (2013), Blue Air (2022), Elbafly (2010), Myair (2009), Skyeurope (2009).

Passeggeri nell'area airside dell'Aeroporto di Milano Bergamo. Foto: Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Depositphotos

With over seven million passengers by the end of 2009, Milan Bergamo Airport consolidated six years of growth, driven primarily by low-cost air traffic and supported by a network of connections boasting a load factor (flight occupancy rate) higher than the national average and among the highest in Europe.

In summer 2010, passengers departing from BGY could choose from 86 destinations (72 international and 14 Italian), totaling 100 scheduled connections served by 18 airlines.

The network of scheduled flights now extended from northern Europe to North Africa, from west to east of the old continent, reaching Russia for the first time.

La Food Corte dell''Aeroporto di Milano Bergamo. Foto: Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Depositphotos

Along with improved accessibility by various means of transport, efforts continued to make the terminal more welcoming, with services meeting travelers' needs. A diverse array of retail and food outlets in the new departure terminal now entertained passengers pleasantly while they waited for their flights.

The airlines operating at BGY in summer 2010 were:

Air Arabia	Air Italy*	albanian airlines*	alitalia*	belle air*	BluE air*	Carpatair	danube wings*	iceland express*	JET2	meridiana*

ryanair	smartwings	star airways*	windjet*	wizz air	pegasus

* These airlines ceased operations: Air Italy (2020), Albanian Airlines (2011) Alitalia (nel 2021 ha ceduto il marchio a Ita Airways), Belle Air (2013), Blue Air (2022), Danube Wings (2013), Iceland Express (2012), Meridiana (2018), Star Airwais (2010), Windjet (2012).

In 2011, the airport was officially named after Michelangelo Merisi, known as "Il Caravaggio". The new name, "Il Caravaggio International Airport", gave the airport a strong cultural and international identity, linking it to the region's rich artistic heritage. This name change was formalized with a special ordinance from ENAC, highlighting the connection between the airport and the local cultural history.

In summer 2011, there were 107 scheduled connections to 93 destinations, 78 of which were international in 28 countries and 15 domestic. This network was created by airlines with modern fleets, operating to geographically significant destinations, allowing access to major European areas, central-southern Italy, and the Mediterranean basin.

Recognized as the "new international gateway" to and from Lombardy, Milan Bergamo Airport became Italy's third airport after Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa.

The airlines operating at BGY in summer 2011 were:

Air Arabia	Air Italy*	albanian airlines*	alitalia*	belle air*	BluE air*	Carpatair	ELBA FLY*	JET2.COM	meridiana*	PEGASUS

ryanair	TACV	TRAVEL FLY	windjet*	wizz air

* These airlines ceased operations: Air Italy (2020), Albanian Airlines (2011), Alitalia (in 2021 it gave the brand to Ita Airways), Belle Air (2013), Blue Air (2022), Elbafly (2010), Meridiana (2018), Star Airwais (2010), Trawel Fly (2014) Windjet (2012).

The novelty at the end of 2011 was the launch of direct flights to Frankfurt International Airport, with the possibility of connecting to over 200 destinations worldwide through Lufthansa's network. This opportunity increased the appeal of Bergamo Airport, favored for its accessibility and high standards of airport services, reaching 8.4 million passengers in 2011.

In the first quarter of 2012, "Il Caravaggio" Airport celebrated two important anniversaries: 40 years since the first scheduled flight to Rome Ciampino and 10 years since the first Ryanair flight from Frankfurt Hahn, marking the beginning of the low-cost air travel era, destined to revolutionize travel habits and attract a large number of new passengers.

To maintain the excellent results achieved over the past decade, it was necessary to plan for additional spaces and services to accommodate the continuously increasing passenger flows. Consequently, the check-in area adjacent to security controls and the commercial gallery in the public area were scheduled for a makeover from mid-September 2012 to February 2013.

The project included adding three new security checkpoint stations, bringing the total to 13, reorganizing the VIP Lounge spaces, and creating a commercial plaza. Signage and graphics were also standardized with those already adopted in the departure terminal area.

In summer 2012, Volotea officially launched its activities with a flight to Nantes, while Air Dolomiti (a Lufthansa group member) operated flights to Frankfurt, enabling connections to the rest of the world.

The airlines operating at BGY in summer 2012 were:

Air Arabia	AIR DOLOMITI	belle air*	BluE air*	Carpatair	INTERSKY	JET2.COM	meridiana*	NEOS	pegasus	ryanair

TRAWELFLY	VOLOTEA	windjet*	wizz air

* These airlines ceased operations: Belle Air (2013), Blue Air (2022), InterSky (2015), Meridiana (2018), Trawel Fly (2014), Windjet (2012).

Between 2012 and 2013, SACBO relocated its headquarters to Grassobbio (Bg - Italy), consolidating all administrative and commercial functions in a new building. This move facilitated the expansion of operational spaces within the terminal and supported the airport's continuous growth. Additionally, in 2012, SACBO obtained a concession for a new departure terminal, improving passenger flow management and increasing the airport's capacity.

editorial CHOICES FROM 2008 TO 2012

In 2008, Milan Bergamo Airport saw a significant increase in served routes, growing from 57 to 75 in just one year. The user base increasingly associated business traffic with tourism and cultural travel.

The editorial direction of the airport magazine adapted its content accordingly, dedicating more space to promoting new destinations connected to the airport and less to promoting Bergamo and its province (compared to the previous two years), as evidenced by the historical covers of the period.

Two new sections were introduced, "Events Europe" and "Events Italy", offering a selection of cultural events in cities connected to the airport, providing readers with interesting activities to do once they arrived at their destination.

The magazine's page count increased to include more travel articles on national and international destinations. This editorial choice was well received by passengers, who, while browsing the print magazine while waiting for their flight or onboard the aircraft, obtained useful information about their destination and the numerous destinations connected to Bergamo Airport.

historical covers of the 2nd EDITION

Copertine storiche 2008 di Avion Tourism Magazine Foto: Copyright © Sisterscom.com

Selezione di Copertine storiche 2009 Avion Tourism Magazine Foto: Copyright © Sisterscom.com

DISCOVER ALL THE HISTORICAL COVERS AND CONTENTS OF THE 2ND EDITION

And the story continues...

Text by Alisè Vitri

Avion Tourism Magazine

Update June 2024