Pope Leo XIV. Photo: Riccardo De Luca - Update / Shutterstock.com Air France carried Pope Leo XIV, the Vatican delegation and accredited journalists during the Pope’s official visit to France from September 26 to 28.
The operation covered flights between Orly, Lourdes, Metz and Rome and was conducted under State flight procedures, requiring coordination between Air France, French authorities, Vatican representatives and airport teams.
Air France. Photo: ShutterstockThe airline said preparations began several weeks before the visit, with teams handling aircraft preparation, security, protocol, crew coordination and the reception of the various delegations at each stop.
The operation involved several different parts of Air France’s organization, reflecting the additional requirements involved in transporting the Pope and the accompanying Vatican delegation.
The aircraft also received a temporary special livery for the mission, featuring the coat of arms of Pope Leo XIV. In another symbolic touch, the aircraft was temporarily renamed “Vatican City” in line with the protocol surrounding the visit.
Before the aircraft departed on September 26, Benjamin Smith, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Air France and CEO of Air France-KLM, presented Pope Leo XIV with a collector’s poster signed by Plaquet.
Air France said the gift was linked to the airline’s long history of operating flights connected with pilgrimages and papal journeys.
The visit brought additional attention to the airline’s role in handling special state and diplomatic movements, with the operation receiving international media coverage.
For Air France, the three-day mission brought together airport handling, flight operations, security and protocol teams across several locations in France and Italy.