On 28 November 2025 the Vatican confirmed details of Pope Leo XIV’s first foreign voyage—to Turkey and Lebanon—highlighting the logistical choreography behind so-called “Shepherd One” flights operated by ITA Airways. Unlike heads of state who travel on government aircraft, popes charter regular commercial airliners, transforming them into flying pressrooms and temporary chapels for the duration of the mission.
ITA Airways, the state-owned successor to Alitalia, now shoulders the mantle after selling a minority stake to the Lufthansa Group earlier this year. For this six-day journey, the carrier repurposed an Airbus A320neo, removing rows to create workspace for Vatican media and installing discreet liturgical fittings. A 60-person advance team from ITA and the Holy See’s Prefecture of the Papal Household spent weeks coordinating slot exemptions, overflight permits and bespoke catering that meets both ecclesiastical and security protocols.
![‘Shepherd One’ 2.0: ITA Airways Handles First Papal Trip Under Pope Leo XIV]()
While papal trips are spiritual in nature, they carry real commercial weight. The high-profile charters showcase ITA’s brand in front of global broadcasters and often spur route negotiations with host countries eager to capitalise on pilgrimage tourism. In Turkey, local officials confirmed talks with ITA about reinstating a Rome-Istanbul night-stop that could feed connecting traffic to South-eastern Italy. Lebanon’s civil-aviation authority hinted at temporary traffic-rights flexibility to accommodate an expected surge of worshippers travelling from Italian hubs.
For corporate-travel managers, papal visits can compress premium-cabin inventory and trigger ad-hoc slot restrictions at Rome-Fiumicino on departure and return days. Companies with time-sensitive movements should monitor NOTAMs and consider secondary airports where feasible. The next papal trip—to Mexico in February 2026—has already prompted preliminary requests for additional ITA wide-body capacity.
Beyond aviation, the Vatican relies on host governments to foot most of the on-the-ground bill, effectively turning religious pilgrimages into state visits. That model incentivises destination-marketing agencies to position official travel as a catalyst for broader mobility and investment links with Italy.
ITA Airways, the state-owned successor to Alitalia, now shoulders the mantle after selling a minority stake to the Lufthansa Group earlier this year. For this six-day journey, the carrier repurposed an Airbus A320neo, removing rows to create workspace for Vatican media and installing discreet liturgical fittings. A 60-person advance team from ITA and the Holy See’s Prefecture of the Papal Household spent weeks coordinating slot exemptions, overflight permits and bespoke catering that meets both ecclesiastical and security protocols.
While papal trips are spiritual in nature, they carry real commercial weight. The high-profile charters showcase ITA’s brand in front of global broadcasters and often spur route negotiations with host countries eager to capitalise on pilgrimage tourism. In Turkey, local officials confirmed talks with ITA about reinstating a Rome-Istanbul night-stop that could feed connecting traffic to South-eastern Italy. Lebanon’s civil-aviation authority hinted at temporary traffic-rights flexibility to accommodate an expected surge of worshippers travelling from Italian hubs.
For corporate-travel managers, papal visits can compress premium-cabin inventory and trigger ad-hoc slot restrictions at Rome-Fiumicino on departure and return days. Companies with time-sensitive movements should monitor NOTAMs and consider secondary airports where feasible. The next papal trip—to Mexico in February 2026—has already prompted preliminary requests for additional ITA wide-body capacity.
Beyond aviation, the Vatican relies on host governments to foot most of the on-the-ground bill, effectively turning religious pilgrimages into state visits. That model incentivises destination-marketing agencies to position official travel as a catalyst for broader mobility and investment links with Italy.
