Miami – Milan-Bergamo Orio Al Serio Airport (BGY), located 60 km North-East of Milan, is ready to expand its network with a new destination after a consolidated growth despite the COVID-19 Crisis.
Blue Panorama (BV), which will soon change its name into Luke Air, announced a new route from BGY to Dakar-Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS).
First Destination to West Africa
The new route, according to the statement released by BGY’s managing company (SACBO), will be operated twice a week from October 23, 2020. Blue Panorama announces, as well, that it is ready to increase the frequency up to three times weekly from mid-December.
This new link to Senegal’s capital city will become Milan Bergamo’s longest route and first destination in West Africa, boosting the airport’s African reach.
Statement by SACBO’s Director of Commercial Aviation
Mr. Cattaneo said, “Last year, there were more than 120,000 direct and indirect passengers between the Milan market and Dakar, so we are extremely happy BV has realized the significant demand in the market.”
“The area around the stunning city of Bergamo has one of the largest Senegalese communities in Italy and, with the airline being recently awarded the traffic rights to serve Senegal from the Italian CAA, we look forward to working with them during what will no doubt be a successful future.”
New Flight to Russia
With over 135,000 Passengers per year, the route from the Milan area to the second-largest city in Russia, Saint Petersburg (LED), will see a new flight from BGY operated by WizzAir (W6).
The new flight will initially commence with four-weekly service, increasing to daily in December.
The aforementioned flight will joining Pobeda’s (DP) link to Vnukovo (VKO).
Air Albania Starts Flight from BGY
Air Albania (ZB), the flag company of Albania which sees into consortium Turkish Airlines (TK) and Albanian Government, last month starts to connect BGY with Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza (TIA).
With four times weekly service to TIA, ZB joins BV and W6 on the popular link to the Albanian capital city. The ZB flight from BGY will compete with the already existing one from Milan-Malpensa Airport (MXP).
Air Arabia Resumes and Expands Operations in BGY
Morrocan carrier Air Arabia (G9) restarts direct flight to Casablanca (CMN) from mid-July, allowing the Moroccan community that is based in Milan to have a direct flight to CMN.
Sister airline Air Arabia Egypt (E5) also announces a new flight to Borg El Arab (HBE), in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, from BGY. Among the new route to HBE, E5 had also resumed service to Cairo (CAI) last month.
Other Airlines To Resume More Routes from BGY
Adding to the continued resumption of BGY’s schedule, Pegasus Airlines (PC) restarts operations to Sahiba Gökçen (SAW) this month. The Turkish low-cost carrier is headquartered in the Kurtköy area of Pendik, Istanbul and has bases at several Turkish airports.
Meanwhile, AlbaStar (AP) reinstates essential weekend connections to its broad network in Southern Italy. The Spanish charter and scheduled airline based at Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI). It is owned by Italian shareholders and Femar.
Bottom Line
After a period of closure lasting almost 3 months, BGY has managed to recover in a very surprising way.
As the base of Europe’s largest low-cost airline, Ryanair (FR), and with new routes operated by the aforementioned carriers, BGY aims to increase its annual passenger traffic to consolidate its position as the third-largest airport in Italy.
Among the route expansions, with the new extra-Schengen departures, and in the final stage the new extra-Schengen arrival area, BGY aims to increase the passenger area as well.
The extension of the Schengen departures and arrivals area will be ready by S21 in time for the rescheduled World Routes event which will take place in Milan.
Featured image: Bergamo Airport Front View Photo: © Jean Piccotti
