09.06.2026 23:20
During the spiritual leader of the Catholic world, Pope Leo's visit to Spain, unusual moments occurred on the plane he was traveling in. The Pope went to the cockpit, greeted the pilot of an F-18 fighter jet from the Spanish Air Force escorting the plane, and thanked the flight crew with an announcement in Spanish over the radio.
The images recorded during Pope Leo's continued visit to Spain, on his flight from Madrid to Barcelona, garnered great attention on social media. The footage, provided by Reuters, captured moments of the Pope visiting the cockpit during the flight, chatting with the pilots, and waving at the fighter jets accompanying the aircraft in the air.
HE MET WITH PILOTS IN THE COCKPIT
Upon the captain pilot's invitation during the flight, Pope Leo moved to the cockpit and sat with the pilots for a while. Positioned between the captain and the co-pilot, the Pope was shown the external scenery by the flight crew. The Pope appeared quite pleased as he examined the outside through the cockpit window.
HE WAVED AT AN F-18 FIGHTER JET
At those moments, an F-18 fighter jet from the Spanish Air Force escorted the papal plane. During the escort flight conducted for security and protocol, as the fighter jet approached the papal plane, Pope Leo saluted the pilots from the cockpit window. The Pope's response, waving his hand, was recorded second by second by the cameras on the plane.
HE GAVE A MESSAGE IN SPANISH VIA RADIO
One of the most striking moments during the visit was when the Pope picked up the radio. Putting on headphones in the cockpit, Pope Leo used the pilot's microphone to address the flight crew.
Speaking in Spanish, the Pope said, "Muchas gracias por todo..." (Thank you for everything), thanking the crew. It was learned that the Pope wished the flight personnel a safe flight and conveyed his prayers.
HE ALSO GREETED PASSENGERS IN THE CABIN
After the cockpit visit, Pope Leo returned to the cabin and individually attended to the passengers and staff on the plane. The Pope was seen chatting with some passengers and thanking the cabin crew by shaking hands.
IT BECAME A TREND ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Pope Leo's warm demeanor in the cockpit and his salute to the fighter jet pilot quickly became a trend on social media. The images, viewed millions of times, were interpreted as frames reflecting the Pope's humble personality. Especially his thank-you speech over the radio and his waving at the F-18 pilot were among the most striking images of the visit.