A technical failure and heavy fog forced Bergamo Orio al Serio airport to suspend flights, leaving thousands of passengers stranded overnight as delays continued into Sunday.
Flights at Bergamo Orio al Serio Airport (BGY), a major Ryanair hub serving Milan, were severely disrupted on Saturday evening after a technical fault affected the airport’s landing guidance system, compounded by poor visibility caused by thick fog.
The issue brought operations at northern Italy’s third busiest airport to a halt shortly before 18.00 local time. According to airport operator SACBO, the technical problem was resolved around midnight. However, a warning on the airport’s website said “flights may be delayed or cancelled”.
During the disruption, air traffic at Bergamo was effectively paralysed. Italian media reported that 26 departing flights were cancelled, six were diverted to other airports and seven were rescheduled for Sunday. State broadcaster RAI News said a total of 63 incoming flights were delayed, cancelled or diverted, while around 40 departures were cancelled or rescheduled between Saturday evening and Sunday morning.
Thousands of passengers were left stranded overnight inside the terminal. Images from the airport showed travellers sleeping on the floor, behind check in desks and on baggage conveyor belts. Civil protection authorities set up camp beds for elderly passengers and children.
Real time flight information on the airport’s website showed long lists of delays, most involving Ryanair services. Some flights did eventually depart on Sunday morning. A 0605 GMT Ryanair flight to Cagliari, delayed to 0850 GMT, was listed as “departed”, as was a 0620 GMT Neos flight to Sharm el Sheikh, delayed to 0855 GMT.
The Bergamo online edition of Corriere della Sera reported that the first flights were halted at around 1700 GMT on Saturday. Although operations gradually resumed after midnight, disruption continued into Sunday as airlines worked through backlogs caused by the shutdown at Bergamo Orio al Serio Airport.
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