FAA Reopens El Paso Airport Hours After Announcing 10-Day Flight Halt
The Federal Aviation Administration abruptly lifted a 10-day closure of El Paso International Airport on Wednesday, just hours after grounding all flights for what it described as “special security reasons.”
“There is no threat to commercial aviation,” the FAA said in a statement posted on X. “All flights will resume as normal.”
The reversal came roughly six hours after the agency issued a Notice to Airmen, or NOTAM, stating that no flights would be permitted to operate in the airspace over El Paso, Texas, and nearby Santa Teresa, New Mexico, from Feb. 11 through Feb. 21.
National Defense Airspace Designation
In the initial NOTAM, the FAA classified the area as national defense airspace and cited “temporary flight restrictions for Special Security Reasons.” The notice warned that deadly force could be used against any aircraft determined to pose “an imminent security threat.” It also stated that pilots who violated the restriction could be intercepted, detained and interviewed by law enforcement or security personnel.
The FAA did not initially provide additional details explaining the decision.
El Paso International Airport, which handled 3.49 million passengers in the first 11 months of 2025, confirmed the restriction in a travel advisory on social media, stating that all flights, including commercial, cargo and general aviation, were grounded.
The airport services major U.S. carriers including Southwest, Delta, United and American Airlines.
Reported Drone Breach
A White House official told NBC News that Mexican cartel drones had breached American airspace and that the Defense Department had disabled them.
The FAA did not reference drones in its public statements and did not elaborate on the reason for lifting the restriction hours after imposing it.
El Paso sits directly along the U.S.-Mexico border, adjacent to Ciudad Juárez, one of Mexico’s largest cities.
Local Officials Caught Off Guard
The sudden grounding appeared to catch local leaders and airport officials by surprise.
Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, called the initial decision “highly consequential” and described it as “unprecedented.” She said it had “resulted in significant concern within the community.”
Escobar also said there was no advance notice provided to her office, the City of El Paso, or airport operations.
City Councilmember Chris Canales echoed those concerns in a Facebook post made before the restriction was lifted.
“The lack of explanation is obviously fueling fear and speculation in our community,” Canales wrote.
He added that there appeared to have been “no advance notice to local government, airport leadership, or even local Air Traffic Control or local military leadership.” Canales estimated the economic impact of a 10-day closure could have reached $40 million to $50 million or more.
Air Traffic Control Audio Reveals Confusion
Audio captured by LiveATC.net, a website that monitors air traffic control communications, suggested that even air traffic controllers were given little notice before the restriction took effect.
In a recording, an air traffic controller at El Paso International can be heard advising a Southwest Airlines flight that a temporary flight restriction was about to begin.
“Just be advised I guess there’s a TFR going into effect,” the controller said. “Just pass it on to Southwest and everybody else at 0630 for the next 10 days we’re stopped. All ground stop.”
The person aboard Southwest flight WN1249 asked for confirmation, saying, “So the airport is totally closed?”
“Apparently. We just got informed about 30 minutes to an hour ago,” the controller replied.
Economic and Security Implications
The rapid imposition and reversal of the flight ban raised questions about communication protocols and coordination between federal authorities and local officials.
El Paso International Airport plays a critical role in the regional economy, connecting the border community to major hubs across the United States. A prolonged shutdown would have disrupted passenger travel, cargo shipments and military operations in the region.
By late Wednesday, the FAA confirmed that flights would resume as normal and that there was no ongoing threat to commercial aviation.
Officials have not indicated whether additional security measures remain in place or whether further details about the reported drone activity will be released.
For now, operations at El Paso International Airport have returned to standard procedures after a day marked by confusion, concern and swift federal action.
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