Key facts
- Pope Leo XIV's flight from Spain to Rome was delayed due to a technical issue with his Iberia charter plane.
- King Felipe VI of Spain provided his private jet, a Falcon, to transport the Pope and some of his delegation.
- The Pope departed more than three hours later than scheduled from Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
- Iberia is sending a separate aircraft to collect remaining delegation members and journalists.
Pope Leo XIV experienced a travel delay on his return flight to Rome from Spain due to a technical problem with his Iberia charter plane. King Felipe VI of Spain intervened, offering his private jet to transport the Pope and members of his delegation from Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
The Pope and his entourage boarded the King's Falcon jet more than three hours after their original departure time. The Iberia pilot reported an engine failure that prevented the plane from starting. Initial repair attempts were unsuccessful, leading to the passengers disembarking. Iberia confirmed it was dispatching another aircraft from Madrid to collect the remaining Vatican officials and journalists.
This incident concluded Pope Leo XIV's weeklong visit to Spain, which included messages on migration and the inauguration of a new tower at the Sagrada Familia basilica. The flight issue is reportedly the most serious papal flight problem requiring a plane change in decades.