Spain's king lends jet after pope's plane fails (opens in new tab)

Pope Leo XIV returned to Rome on June 12 aboard a Falcon aircraft provided by King Felipe VI of Spain after a technical problem grounded the Iberia charter that was to carry him from Tenerife North-Los Rodeos Airport at the end of his weeklong visit to Spain. The pope had already boarded the Rome-bound plane after a tarmac farewell when it could not depart; the pilot later said the engine had failed to start and cited wind conditions as a possible factor. King Felipe escorted Leo off the airc...