Initially there were 3 Air Dolomiti flights per day on this route. After being quoted by my travel agent on the middle of the day flight I was then told it was cancelled. Then I booked the afternoon flight and a week later the times of the flight were changed.

Regardless, we found ourselves at Bergamo airport 2 hours before departure for an efficient check in process and a 23kg luggage allowance but not before being hassled by rather aggressive baggage wrappers. BGY is a smallish airport used mainly by lost cost carriers.

There was a single, and rather long queue, at security where our boarding passes were scanned. Ours both showed up red on the screen, setting of an alarm and showing "no such passenger". We were waved through regardless.

Upstairs is the usual array of airport shops including a bar that sold wine, soft drinks, water - but no beer.



Boarding began 15 minutes later than announced and we then stood in a stair well for 5 - 10 minutes until the door was opened setting off an alarm. We boarded a normal suburban looking bus at about 17:20.



My wife is a nervous flyer at the best of times so I kept the aircraft type a secret from her. But as the bus pulled up beside the propeller driven ATR72 the look on her face was priceless. I've never seen her eyes so big.



Boarding was from the rear stairs as the forward part of the cabin is reserved for luggage and a netted off passage way between the passenger cabin and the cockpit.

We were in seats 2A and 2C just behind the "business class" section that Air Dolomiti call "emotion" which along with other things offers "Excellence catering". We were on the "Plus"fare which offered a snack which may account for the near front row seat.

The seat was comfortable with more leg room than the previous Air One flight. A sealed hand towel was handed out followed by a safety briefing in Italian, German and English. Taxi started at 17:40 and take off, with our hand towels still on our laps at 1747 to the West.

A snack and a choice of drink was served. For the 2 pax in Emotion class it was fruit salad. For us it was a pack of grissini and mini salumi. Small but quite tasty. I think I preferred our meal to that of Emotion. Wine and water were poured generously and a second round offered.





Here's a photo of Emotion Class. In real life the sun reflection on the side of the seat was spectacular, but it didn't come out so well in the photo:



Cabin was about 90% full and the cabin was quite hot. It must have been parked in the sun for a while and the air conditioning never quite caught up.

Great view of the Swiss alps and Bavaria.

Landed a little later than expected at 19:25 and 32 degrees. I love these long European evenings. I'm not so sure about winter though.

At stand v99 at 19:32. Pax sat patiently waiting for disembarkment which was from the rear doors which meant the poor old Emotion passengers were last to get off the plane which I guess was ok given we were boarding a bus to the terminal. Bus at 17:40 for a long driving tour of the workings of FRA airport. Luggage received at 18:05.