MILAN — Today, Lorenzo Giacobbo and I are flying from Milan Bergamo (BGY) to Dubai (DXB) with flydubai (FZ). The airline operates daily flights to Milan using the Boeing 737 MAX 8. Our flight, FZ1574, departs at 12:30 and arrives in Dubai at 21:50. We were booked in Economy, with a baggage allowance of 20 kg checked and 7 kg hand luggage.

Bergamo Airport is easily reachable from Milan Centrale by bus, and after a 50-minute journey, I arrived at the terminal.

CHECK-IN, AIRPORT PROCEDURES

The check-in desks opened exactly 3 hours before departure, with dedicated lines for Business class, Fast track bag drop, and Economy class. Although there was quite a long line for Economy, it moved quickly, and I dropped my bags in no time.

Bergamo airport can be chaotic during the summer holidays, but today it felt unusually calm. Security was smooth, Passport Control was quick, and within 40 minutes of stepping into the airport, we were already at our gate, B2. It is something to be appreciated, where BGY worked like a well-oiled machine.

The terminal has a few small shops if you need last-minute souvenirs or chocolate. As we started plane spotting from the terminal, we saw our aircraft landing just in time. The aircraft is a 6.7-year-old registered as A6-FML. Boarding began shortly after, and we were surprised – one of us was upgraded to Business class. Fortunately (or unfortunately), that someone was me. At least we could review both cabins on the same flight!

On Board A6-Fml

The aircraft is two-class configured with 152 seats in the Economy cabin and 10 in the Business cabin. The economy cabin has a 3-3 layout, whereas the Business cabin has an alternate 2-2 and 1-1 layout. 

The 1-1 seats are the famous throne seats with extra privacy, but the only downside is that they are slightly away from the window. We were seated at 1C and 8A, but at least in the Economy we got the row to ourselves. 

Business Class

As soon as I boarded, the crew in Business class greeted us with smiles and a welcome drink, and I chose Orange juice. The seat comes with the option to lie flat, a 15.6-inch 4K screen, a remote on the side of the seat, a bottle of water, and noise-cancelling headphones. 

Right on time at 12:30, we taxied to Runway 27 and performed the classic left bank after takeoff—necessary thanks to the mountains on the right. After the initial take-off phase, the seatbelt sign switched off, and the crew handed out menus and the wine list.

I went for the red wine and beef as the main dish and settled in with some movies. The in-flight entertainment is up to date with the latest movies, TV shows, and flight information. After a while, the crew served lunch with braised beef, mashed potatoes, and beans, along with a salad on the side and vanilla mousse for dessert. 

The crew's service was commendable and ensured the passengers remained comfortable. After a very short nap, I was served light snacks again, and I chose Pizza Margherita. The light snack was a surprise, and I was totally stuffed afterward. 

Economy Class

Meanwhile, in the Economy, Lorenzo was lucky to get an empty row, which made the journey even relaxed. The legroom is decent with enough space for a 6-foot-tall person. The IFE has the same updated movie selection as in Business, along with a USB-A port and headphone jack.

After takeoff, the crew served lunch, and he chose Beef steak with mashed potatoes and spinach as his main course. The meal was finished with a delicious strawberry cake. The cabin was nearly complete, but the crew managed everything with care. Unlike Business, the Economy gets just one meal service in this sector.

Arrival in Dubai

Shortly after the main meal and light snack, we started descending from the cruise altitude of 37000ft to DXB. We landed almost 20 minutes before the scheduled arrival on runway 30L. Overall, the flight with FZ was great in both cabins, and the airport procedures at BGY and DXB were a breeze.

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