Pope Leo Xiv's Homebound Flight Delayed, King Steps in
WHO:
ABC News - Pope Leo XIV
Vatican News - King Felipe VI of Spain
Vatican News - Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and other cardinals and bishops
WHAT:
NPR - Pope Leo XIV's flight was delayed for more than three hours after the engine of the Iberia plane failed to start.
Vatican News - The Holy See Press Office stated that the technical problem prevented the original plane from departing from Tenerife’s Los Rodeos airport.
CNN - The incident marked the first time in decades that a papal flight experienced a problem serious enough to require the pope to change planes.
CNN - Pope Leo XIV's visit to Spain included a Mass attended by approximately 1.2 million people in Madrid.
CNN - The pope became the first pontiff to address Spain’s parliament, receiving a seven-minute standing ovation.
CNN - During his visit, Pope Leo XIV celebrated a Mass at Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia basilica, marking the 100th anniversary of Antoni Gaudí's death.
CNN - The pope condemned human trafficking during his visit, urging traffickers to “stop” and “repent,” warning of “divine justice.”
Vatican News - The Holy See staff and journalists traveling on the papal flight will return on a separate aircraft provided by IBERIA.
Vatican News - The plane took off just after 6:00 p.m. local time.
ABC News - Pope Leo XIV's charter flight back to Rome was grounded due to a technical issue.
Vatican News - Pope Leo XIV will return to Rome aboard an aircraft provided by King Felipe of Spain.
Vatican News - The original plane was an Iberia Airbus A320, which faced engine problems.
Vatican News - The flight is scheduled to depart at around 6:00 p.m. local time and is expected to arrive in Rome at approximately 11:00 p.m. Rome time.
WHERE:
ABC News - Tenerife’s Los Rodeos airport
Vatican News - The Vatican
WHEN:
Vatican News - The plane began its takeoff procedures at around 4:15 p.m. local time.
Vatican News - Pope Leo XIV arrived at the airport at around 3:45 p.m. local time.
WHY:
ABC News - The flight was delayed due to a technical problem with the aircraft.
HOW:
NPR - King Felipe VI escorted Pope Leo XIV to his Falcon private jet on the tarmac at the airport in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
CNN - The pope's flight back to Rome was disrupted, preventing a press conference that typically allows journalists to ask questions during the return trip.
The Washington Post - King Felipe VI personally whisked Pope Leo XIV off the grounded plane after a system failure was announced by the captain.
Vatican News - The Pope was escorted to the airport’s VIP lounge by King Felipe VI after the boarding stairs were brought back to the aircraft.
(UPDATED June 13, 2026 11:34 UTC)
Pope Leo XIV's flight was delayed for over three hours due to a technical issue with the engine of the Iberia plane, which prevented it from departing from Tenerife’s Los Rodeos airport. This incident marks the first time in decades that a papal flight has faced a problem serious enough for the pope to change planes. King Felipe VI was on hand to escort Pope Leo XIV to his Falcon private jet on the tarmac at the airport in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
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(UPDATED June 13, 2026 04:20 UTC)
Pope Leo XIV's recent visit to Spain was marked by a historic Mass in Madrid, attended by approximately 1.2 million people, and he made headlines as the first pontiff to address Spain’s parliament, receiving a seven-minute standing ovation. During his trip, he also celebrated a Mass at Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia basilica, honoring the 100th anniversary of Antoni Gaudí's death, while condemning human trafficking and urging traffickers to “stop” and “repent.” Unfortunately, his flight back to Rome was disrupted, preventing the usual press conference where journalists could ask questions during the return journey.
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(UPDATED June 13, 2026 01:45 UTC)
In a dramatic turn of events, King Felipe VI personally assisted Pope Leo XIV after a system failure grounded the papal flight. The Holy See staff and journalists traveling with the Pope will return on a separate aircraft provided by IBERIA, which took off just after 6:00 p.m. local time. This incident highlights the unexpected challenges faced during the Pope's travels.
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(UPDATED June 12, 2026 21:38 UTC)
Pope Leo XIV's charter flight back to Rome was grounded at Tenerife’s Los Rodeos airport due to a technical issue with the original Iberia Airbus A320, which faced engine problems. King Felipe VI of Spain has provided an alternative aircraft for the Pope, with the flight scheduled to depart at around 6:00 p.m. local time and expected to arrive in Rome at approximately 11:00 p.m. Rome time. After the boarding stairs were brought back to the aircraft, the Pope was escorted to the airport’s VIP lounge by King Felipe.