Pope Francis may have divine inspiration but not divine inflation: on Friday he suffered what millions of ordinary people have to deal with - a flat tire.

While the pope was being driven into Lima from the airport, one of the wheels of the Fiat 500 that was taking him into the city began losing air on the highway.

After his motorcade came to a halt, he calmly exited the car while his security detail surveyed the damage. Without missing a beat, he got into a black, unmarked security car behind him and continued the ride to the presidential palace, television footage showed.

Francis has shunned the bulletproof limousines used by his predecessors, opting for simple cars both in Rome and on his overseas travels.