Hours before embarking on the return to Latin America, Mercedes Ninci joined in Rome the group of journalists who will accompany Pope Leo XIV on his trip to Uruguay. The reporter boarded the papal plane and, with visible emotion, recorded every detail of the interior to share with her followers on Instagram.
In the first video she published, Ninci showed her colleagues settling into their seats and described the atmosphere with enthusiasm. “We are already inside the plane. I want to show you... look how beautiful this plane is!” she said, adding that everyone was getting settled while the pope would occupy the private area at the front.
“We feel like kids with a new toy,” the journalist concluded with laughter, in a tone that reflected the group's excitement. The material reached her more than 250,000 followers along with the message: “What is the plane where Pope Leo XIV travels like inside? Here ready to depart for Uruguay.”
The experience was not limited to a single recording. Ninci took her phone again to show more angles of the aircraft and focus on the technical equipment arranged on board.
Details of the interior and the anticipation on board
In the second video, the journalist walked through the aisles and focused on the cameras already set up to cover the moment the pope boards. “All the cameras ready for when the Pope comes,” she noted, and did not hide her surprise as she exclaimed: “How crazy is this plane!”
She also paused for a moment at her colleague Nelson Castro's seat, showing him as he prepared for takeoff. The complete material conveyed the mix of professionalism and emotion that marked the hours leading up to the official trip.
Ninci, known for her close and direct style, chose to share these images in real-time to bring her audience into a space that normally remains out of public view. The plane, prepared for the transfer of the supreme pontiff, looked impeccable and with all devices ready to document the arrival in Uruguay.
The journalist emphasized that the press group was already on board and waiting for the moment to depart. Her coverage, filled with visual details and spontaneous comments, offered a unique glimpse into the logistics surrounding these papal travels.
Anticipation for the arrival in Latin America
With these videos, Mercedes Ninci anticipated the atmosphere that will be experienced during the flight and made clear the meticulous preparation surrounding each leg of Pope Leo XIV's journey. The group of journalists, settled in the press area of the aircraft, appeared attentive and ready to record every instance of the trip.
Ninci's recording not only showed seats and technical equipment but also the mood of those traveling with the pontiff. The journalist conveyed a sense of novelty and responsibility at the same time, something she summarized with the phrase of feeling “like a kid with a new toy.”
Thus, just hours before taking off for Uruguay, the material shared by Mercedes Ninci became one of the first public images of the interior of the plane that will transport Pope Leo XIV on this visit to Latin America.
