INTRODUCTION
Hello everyone,
Since I've made my Asian trip late in April I decided not to plan anything particular for my summer break. I decided to spend my two weeks of vacation in my family-house-by-the-sea in Abruzzo
By the way, at the end of July one of my best friends proposed me to make a weekend in Berlin in late August, with two other friends.
Being them in Milan and me near Bergamo we avoided searching Ryanair flights from MXP, while the ones from LIN (operated by easyJet) proved to be much more expensive
We ended up with this solution:
To the total each of us added a cabin baggage, bringing the price to 285 euros
Fortunately, I had received as birthday gift a 150-euro voucher
Therefore, I payed 135 euros only
We booked a nice hotel near Zoologischer Garten station, in Charlottenburg
ROUTING
Ryanair - Milan-Bergamo BGY > Berlin BER - Boeing 737-800
Ryanair - Berlin BER > Milan-Bergamo BGY - Boeing 737MAX 8
Some stats:
19th flight of 2025 (as of September)
Overall great-circle distance flown in 2025 (as of the reported flight): 30.854 km | 16.660 nm
First time on BER-BGY route
BEFORE THE FLIGHT
The day before the flight I logged in on Ryanair's app to check-in
This time I was able to select a window seat for 10 euros
THE FLIGHT
In order to catch the flight at 12.55 we decided to be at the airport around 11
This would have mean getting the 9:59 S9 train from Zoologischer Garten station
The train was pretty clean and almost empty at that time
Minutes before 11 the train finally arrived at Berlin-Brandeburg Airport
The station is located right below Terminal 1
Ryanair handles all its operations at Terminal 2
However, the airside is in common between Terminal 1 and 2, with the former containing more shopping and food options
The check-in hall was quite crowded
The small architect living into me definitely appreciated the design of the main hall, lean in materials and full of natural light
And seen some strong inspiration from Mies van der Rohe's masterpiece Neunationalgalerie
The airport offers a very useful service known as "BER Runway"
Each passenger is able to book a time slot to access security. Time slots are free and subject to availability
My friend and I were able to get the 11:15-11:30 time slot
The service is very easy to use, requiring passengers to fill details about their flight
Having some spare time before security we stopped outside for a cigarette
The entrance canopy looks really good as well
A dedicated area to BER Runway is located at inspection area nr.4
The entire process took 10 minutes
Differently from most airports each passenger was individually called to prepare their bag, making the thing a little longer, but surely un-messy
A large duty free shop just after security
The main departure lounge presents a nice selection of shops
When I made my stopover in Frankfurt last April all the shops were already closed
So this time a stop at Lufthansa Worldshop was necessary
I got a nice 747-8 model to enrich my collection
Our gate, located in Terminal 2, needed a 11-minute walk from the main hall
Time for some spotting
Skyline Express Boeing 757-300
Hainan Airlines A330-200 at the remote
A-Jet (formerly AnadoluJet) A320 docked at the gate with an Eurowings A320 pulling in
Sundair, a German charter airline, A320 landing
Terminal 2 apron
Play Airlines A320neo
Surely a recognizable one!
At 12:16, nine minutes before scheduled boarding, our plane pulled in after landing from Catania-CTA
Ryanair Boeing 737 MAX-8 9H-VUU
First flight on 30th June 2021 (4.2 years old at the flight day), it was delivered to Malta Air on December '21
It carries 197passengers in full-Y configuration
After a quick lunch we went downstairs, where boarding passes' check had already started
Almost 20 minutes later we're finally allowed onboard
The engine looks strangely big on a 737
The view from my seat
Norse 787 taxiing in the distance
Moments after 13 doors were closed and armed
We left the stand a couple of minutes later, as a Vueling A321 was pulling into the gate
Sundair line up on the way to the runway
Entering the runway from the rapid-exit-taxiway, the taxi was very very quick
AT 13:16, twenty-one minute later than scheduled, engines went full thrust
Old Schönefeld Airport complex is visible in the distance
Berlin downtown as we climb
Fernsehturm Berlin, the tallest structure in Germany (368 meters)
Climbing over the southern suburbs of Berlin
Reuter West combine heat-and-power plant
Old Tempelhof Airport, now used as Formula-E circuit
Banking over Potsdam as we pointed south
Berlin-Brandeburg Airport in the distance
Schönhagen Airport (ICAO: EDAZ)
I spent half a hour sleeping (not that much rest while enjoying Berlin's night life)
I woke up as we were about to approach the Alps
Crossing Austrial Tyrol before entering Italian airspace
Brixen (Bressanone) and the Isarco river valley
Merano
According to the Captain, who made the descent announcement, we're flying straight above Bolzano
Meran Racecourse (Pferderennplatz), one of the most important in Italy, is visible in the city center
Stelvio National Park and Ortles Mountain (3.905 m)
Belviso artificial lake, created by the 138-meter high arched Frera dam
Behind, Valtellina
Ponte Nossa, in Seriana Valley
Vertova and Colzate. both in Seriana Valley
Bergamo
We'd point south to make a 270° turn and line up to BGY's runway
Bergamo-Orio al Serio Airport
Bergamo downtown, with both Lower Town ("Città Bassa") and Upper Town ("Città Alta")
Franciacorta Racetrack and A35 motorway (on the left)
Brescia in the distance
Banking over the border between Bergamo and Brescia provinces
Iseo Lake
Sarnico town, on Iseo Lake
Lined up to the runway
Last moments in the air
AT 14:36, four minutes in advance, we touched down at Milan-Bergamo "Il Caravaggio" International Airport
We arrived at the stand soon after
Disembark took a while since the bus was not ready
Even if the plane was parked right in front of the arrival area we're bussed to the terminal
Since none of us had to wait for their baggage we made our way to the exit and to the long term parking
See you at the next report!
FLIGHT RADAR 24
Departure from Berlin
Arrival in Bergamo
