Pope Leo XIV Returns to Rome on King Felipe's Falcon After Plane Trouble
Pope Leo XIV's return to Rome after a historic seven-day visit to Spain was disrupted when his Iberia Airbus A320 suffered a technical issue at Tenerife Norte Airport. The Pope ultimately flew back to the Vatican aboard a Falcon jet offered by King Felipe VI, resolving the unexpected setback.
What happened
The papal flight was scheduled to depart at 15:00 local time but faced delays from the extended events. After the Pope boarded, the captain announced a 'incidencia' (incident) preventing takeoff Source: El Mundo. Despite attempts to fix the issue, including repositioning the plane, the problem persisted. King Felipe VI, who had been at the airport for the send-off, boarded the plane to inform the Pope and offered his own aircraft Source: ABC.
The King's gesture
The Pope disembarked with the King, and after a brief wait, accepted the offer of the Falcon jet from the Spanish Air Force's 45th Wing. This allowed the Pope to continue his journey without significant delay, while the King remained in Tenerife awaiting another military flight to Madrid Source: El Español. The rest of the papal entourage, including journalists, waited for a replacement Iberia plane from Madrid Source: La Vanguardia.
Aftermath
Iberia confirmed the technical issue could not be repaired immediately Source: La Vanguardia. The incident drew comparisons to past papal travel disruptions, such as John Paul II's alternative landing in Naples in 1986 due to snow Source: Hoy. The Pope's visit to Spain concluded with a message of unity and thanks for the warm reception Source: Excélsior.
Sources
5 quotes“el comandante del vuelo de Iberia avisaba de que el avión había registrado una 'incidencia' que impedía el despegue.”
“El Rey, que había vuelto a la terminal tras haber despedido a Robert Prevost a pie de pista minutos antes, subió al avión, lo saludó y acompañó hasta una sala de espera entre sonrisas.”
“El rey Felipe VI ofreció su propio avión, un Falcon de la Casa Real, para que el Papa pudiera regresar a Italia.”
“El vuelo que debía llevar al papa León XIV de regreso a Roma ha sufrido una incidencia técnica en el motor esta tarde en el aeropuerto Tenerife Norte”
“El papa León XIV tuvo que volver a Roma en el avión oficial Falcon que le ofreció el rey de España, Felipe VI, tras una avería técnica.”