American Airlines To Carry Pope On US Tour
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UNITED STATES (CBSDFW.COM) - When Pope Francis travels around the United States later this week, he will fly on an American Airlines jet that temporarily will be christened Shepherd One.
American will take the Pope from Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, where he is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on Friday.
On Saturday, the Boeing 777 will take the Pope from JFK to Philadelphia. And on Sunday night, it will fly him back to Rome.
An American Airlines spokesman said the plane was chartered by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He said the pilots and other crew members are American Airlines employees from around the country and represent different religions.
American, which is based in Fort Worth, Texas, plans to put the plane back into regular use after the Pope goes home, he said.
American last carried a pope, John Paul II, in 1993, flying him from Denver to Rome.
Pope Francis used Alitalia to fly from Rome to Cuba on Saturday and on to Washington on Tuesday.
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