SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Spain — Pope Leo XIV’s return to the Vatican was delayed Friday, June 12, 2026, when a technical malfunction grounded his chartered Iberia Airways flight at Tenerife Norte Ciudad de La Laguna Airport.
The Pope, who had just concluded a week-long apostolic journey to Spain, was already on board the aircraft when the pilot announced a mechanical failure. Maintenance crews attempted to address the issue, but were unsuccessful, forcing the Pontiff and his entourage to disembark.
In a move to ensure the Pope’s timely return to Rome, King Felipe VI of Spain, who was present at the airport for the official farewell, offered the use of his private Dassault Falcon jet. The King personally escorted Pope Leo across the tarmac to the royal aircraft. The Pope departed for Rome at approximately 6:00 p.m. local time, roughly three hours behind the original schedule.
The remaining members of the Vatican delegation and the accompanying press corps were unable to fit on the royal jet. Iberia Airlines confirmed that a replacement aircraft was dispatched from Madrid to transport the rest of the group to Rome later that evening.
The incident marked an unconventional end to an historic tour. The Pope's visit, his first to Spain since his election, included:
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A Parliamentary Address: Becoming the first Pope to address the Spanish Parliament.
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The Sagrada Família Centenary: Celebrating Mass and blessing the newly completed Tower of Jesus Christ in Barcelona.
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Migration Advocacy: A two-day focus in the Canary Islands, where the Pope visited migrant integration centers and condemned human traffickers.
This is the first time in several decades that a papal flight has experienced a failure significant enough to require the head of the Catholic Church to switch aircraft.
