Flight operations were suspended from 10.20am till midday (local time) on Tuesday "due to a problem that occurred on the taxiway," the airport said in a statement, adding that authorities were investigating.
A spokesperson confirmed that a man had died, saying he was neither a passenger nor a member of airport staff.
According to the ANSA news agency, the man was sucked into the engine of a departing plane. He ran toward the moving aircraft, chased by airport police who were unable to stop him, it added.
Bergamo police had no immediate comment.
Low-cost carrier Volotea said in a statement that following an incident with an engine of its 10.35am flight to Asturias in northern Spain, "one person who was not on board... and has no connection with the company suffered serious injuries."
The 154 passengers on the plane were rescheduled on an afternoon flight and offered psychological support, as were crew members who may have been traumatised by the events, the Spanish carrier said.
