Pope Leo XIV’s Unexpected Travel Delay in Spain

Pope Leo XIV encountered an unexpected travel delay during his visit to Spain due to a technical problem with his scheduled flight. The Iberia charter, which was to take the pope back to Rome after a week-long stay, could not depart as planned. King Felipe VI of Spain intervened, providing his private jet to assist the pope in returning home.

The incident occurred at the airport in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, located in the Canary Islands. The Spanish king personally escorted the pope to his Falcon jet on the tarmac. Pope Leo, along with his delegation, boarded the plane and finally departed, over three hours later than initially planned.

The delay concluded an otherwise successful trip that included stops in Madrid, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands. During his visit, Pope Leo emphasized his message on migration and presided over the inauguration of the Sagrada Familia basilica’s new tower.

The engine failure on the Iberia plane resulted in all passengers having to disembark. Iberia announced it would send another aircraft from Madrid to transport the Vatican officials and journalists who were not on the Falcon with Pope Leo.

The disruption marked the first significant issue with a papal flight in decades. Veteran Vatican reporters recalled similar challenges during St. John Paul II’s pontificate, such as a necessary train ride due to a snowstorm in 1986 and a redirected flight to South Africa in 1988 because of weather conditions.

Typically, the pope’s travel arrangements involve ITA Airways or the national carrier of the host country. These flights are designated charters, with Pope Leo and his security team situated at the front and approximately 70 journalists seated in the rear.

During earlier segments of the trip, Iberia had proudly shared footage of Pope Leo enjoying time in the cockpit as he traveled between Spanish cities. The pope’s journey included air escorts by Spanish military aircraft, a gesture of respect for visiting dignitaries.