by InTrieste
Thousands of air travelers were stranded overnight at Milan Bergamo Airport on Saturday after a technical failure, compounded by dense fog, brought air traffic to a near standstill, airport officials and Italian media reported.
The disruption began shortly before 6 p.m. when a fault occurred in the airport’s landing guidance system, a critical tool used to assist aircraft during low-visibility conditions. At the same time, thick fog reduced visibility across the area, making it unsafe for planes to land.
The airport’s operator, SACBO, said the technical problem was resolved around midnight. By then, however, dozens of flights had already been cancelled, diverted or significantly delayed.
According to RAI News, Italy’s state broadcaster, 63 inbound flights were affected, with aircraft rerouted to other airports or held in the air while crews waited for clearance. On the departure side, around 40 flights scheduled between Saturday evening and Sunday morning were cancelled or rescheduled.
The disruption left thousands of passengers stuck inside the terminal for hours. With hotels in the area quickly filling up, many travelers spent the night inside the airport, sitting or lying on the floor, behind check-in counters and near baggage carousels. Civil protection authorities were called in to distribute camp beds, giving priority to elderly passengers and families with children.
Milan Bergamo Airport, also known as Orio al Serio, is one of Italy’s busiest hubs for low-cost carriers and serves as a major gateway to northern Italy. The incident caused ripple effects across airline schedules and left many travelers uncertain about when they would be able to continue their journeys.
