King of Spain Lends Official Jet to Pope Leo XIV After Flight Delay

Pope Leo XIV experienced an unexpected delay in his departure from Tenerife, Spain, after a technical issue grounded the Iberia-operated aircraft scheduled to fly him back to Rome. The pontiff had concluded a week-long visit to Spain and was bidding farewell to King Felipe VI and local authorities when the problem arose.

As the plane prepared for takeoff, the commander announced a technical fault that made departure impossible. Pope Leo XIV, Vatican officials, and accompanying journalists disembarked and returned to the terminal. King Felipe VI, who had not yet left the airport, rejoined the Pope in the terminal.

Airport officials initially suggested the aircraft would be towed and repositioned into the wind for a restart attempt, possibly due to wind affecting the engine. However, the issue persisted, and passengers were informed they needed to leave the aircraft. Iberia later confirmed a technical problem without providing specific details, stating a replacement aircraft was being sent from Madrid.

In a swift resolution, King Felipe VI offered his official Falcon jet, typically used by the Spanish Royal Family, to transport Pope Leo XIV and a portion of his delegation to Rome. The remaining officials and journalists were to travel on the replacement aircraft sent from Madrid.