Milan Bergamo Airport is getting ready for Christmas with healthy growth in air cargo volumes, helped by regular express flights.

Cargo volumes have increased by 2.5 per cent, following on from 2017 when Bergamo handled 125,948 tonnes of cargo, 10 per cent of all airfreight in Italy, helped by an average of 22 freighter movements per day.

The airport is operated by SACBO, with director of commercial aviation Giacomo Cattaneo saying: “We are one of the leading cargo centres for Italy, and during the lead up to Christmas we are poised to see 4.3 per cent more weekly freighter movements than in a usual week this winter, helping distribute the planned increased throughput of goods.”

He adds: “Cargo operations support 940 jobs at the airport which are directly related to the operation. The increased movements over the festive period by the likes of DHL and UPS further support these positions and helps boost the local and regional economy of Lombardy.”

Movements are up, and operators are using larger aircraft, with DHL Aviation flying Airbus A330Fs into Bergamo on a daily basis.

Bergamo can handle all types of aircraft up to and including the Antonov AN-124, and it does not have flight time curfews.