Pope Leo XIV’s Travel Troubles and Diplomacy in Spain
In a notable travel mishap, Pope Leo XIV faced unexpected delays during his visit to Tenerife, Spain. The Pope, accompanied by King Felipe VI of Spain, experienced a technical problem with his chartered Iberia flight, which was meant to return him to Rome after a successful visit to the country.
King Felipe VI swiftly intervened, offering Pope Leo XIV his private jet to ensure the Pope could return home. The Pope and his delegation were seen boarding the king’s Falcon jet, departing three hours later than initially planned. This incident marked an unusual conclusion to the Pope’s travels in Spain, where he advocated for migration issues and inaugurated the new tower of the Sagrada Familia basilica.
“Even popes have travel delays,” commented observers, highlighting the unpredictability of logistics.
The technical issues faced included a failed engine start after Pope Leo XIV had boarded the Iberia charter, forcing all passengers to disembark. Another aircraft was dispatched from Madrid to accommodate Vatican officials and journalists not on the king’s jet.
This event was reminiscent of earlier incidents involving papal flights. Veteran Vatican journalists recalled similar occurrences during St. John Paul II’s tenure. On one occasion in 1986, John Paul’s flight from India had to land in Naples due to snow in Rome, leading to a train ride. Another in 1988 necessitated a detour to South Africa during a trip to Lesotho due to bad weather.
While ITA Airways usually handles papal trips, bringing the Pope to destinations and returning him in collaboration with national carriers of the visited countries, this change to King Felipe VI’s private jet highlighted the diplomacy involved in papal travel.
Throughout Pope Leo XIV’s visit, Iberia showcased a video of him cheerfully sitting in the cockpit during earlier flights, with Spanish military aircraft providing ceremonial escorts. These moments were captured as demonstrations of respect for the visiting dignitary, with footage showing Leo waving to escorting pilots.