Pope Leo XIV's return to Vatican City was delayed by more than three hours after the chartered Iberia flight experienced technical problems. The King of Spain offered his royal plane as an alternative for the journey.
On 13 June 2026, Pope Leo XIV, head of the Roman Catholic Church, faced a flight delay while preparing to return to Rome after completing a week-long visit to Spain. The chartered Iberia flight scheduled to take him back to the Vatican encountered technical issues at Santa Cruz de Tenerife Airport in the Canary Islands.
Reports stated that King Felipe VI of Spain offered the Pope use of his personal Falcon jet for the return trip. The King personally escorted the Pope to the aircraft parking area before the Pope and his entourage boarded the royal plane to depart.
Iberia pilots announced over the plane’s public address system that the engine failed to start. They explained the problem related to the parking position and wind direction. Despite attempts to reposition the aircraft and fix the issue, these efforts failed, forcing all passengers to disembark.
This incident caused the Pope's travel schedule to be delayed by over three hours. Meanwhile, Iberia dispatched another plane from Madrid to transport Vatican officials and journalists who had not traveled with the Pope on the royal aircraft.
This journey marked the conclusion of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Spain, which included Madrid, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands—key strategic points on the migration route from West Africa to Europe. Several media outlets noted this was the first major disruption to a papal flight in decades, necessitating a plane change during the journey.