How a sudden FAA shutdown disrupted El Paso flights

Flights to El Paso International Airport were halted

El Paso International Airport in Texas was placed under a temporary flight restriction that halted all flights to and from the airport after the FAA cited special security reasons, without publicly detailing the underlying concern.

The Federal Aviation Administration described the motivation as “special security reasons” and classified the airspace as “national defense airspace.”

El Paso International Airport said the restriction also covered the neighboring community of Santa Teresa, New Mexico. El Paso International Airport said the restriction prohibited all aircraft operations, including commercial, cargo, and general aviation.

The Federal Aviation Administration set the dates

The Federal Aviation Administration set a 10-day halt on flights at El Paso International Airport under a temporary flight restriction. The restriction was issued late Feb. 10 and was set to run from 11:30 p.m. MST Feb. 10 to 11:30 p.m. MST Feb. 20, but it was lifted early the next morning.

NBC News reported the FAA notice said no flights would operate over El Paso and Santa Teresa, New Mexico, for 10 days from February 11 to February 21. NBC News also reported that the FAA later abruptly lifted the order after issuing it for “special security reasons.”

El Paso International Airport said all ops stopped

El Paso International Airport said the restriction prohibited all aircraft operations, including commercial, cargo, and general aviation. El Paso International Airport said the FAA issued the order on short notice and described it as security-related.

NBC News reported that all aviation operations, including emergency flights, were grounded during the restriction period. El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson said at a news conference that medical evacuation flights had to be diverted to Las Cruces, about 45 miles away.

FAA “national defense airspace” warning

The FAA classified airspace over El Paso and Santa Teresa, New Mexico, as national defense airspace during the restriction, according to the notices described in the reporting. The notice said pilots who do not adhere to the limitations will be detained, according to the initial report.

NBC News reported the notice warned that law enforcement and security personnel could intercept, detain, and interview pilots who violated the order. NBC News also reported that the notice said deadly force could be used against an aircraft if it was determined to pose an imminent security threat.

NBC News links halt to Fort Bliss testing

NBC News reported the grounding early Wednesday was tied to testing of U.S. military technology that can be used to take down drones. NBC News cited four sources familiar with the matter who said the testing took place near Fort Bliss and raised concerns within the FAA.

Multiple outlets reported competing explanations, including concerns tied to military counter-drone activity near Fort Bliss and separate claims about possible drone incursions. Officials have not released a full public accounting of what triggered the shutdown.

FAA and Defense Department coordination issues

Two sources told NBC News there was a miscommunication, or possibly a dispute, between the FAA and the Defense Department about whether the testing could affect commercial aviation.

NBC News reported the temporary restriction was issued until the FAA could get more information about the testing or be assured it was not affecting aviation.

A fourth source familiar with the matter told NBC News that some lawmakers on Capitol Hill said the grounding was due to a counter-drone exercise that was not coordinated with the FAA. NBC News reported that this coordination issue was among the topics officials discussed after the halt.

El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson criticized the halt

El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson said the temporary flight restriction was unnecessary and “should have never happened,” according to NBC News. Mayor Johnson said the decision caused “chaos and confusion” in the El Paso community.

Mayor Johnson said significant city airspace restrictions require coordination with the city, the airport, hospitals, and community leadership, and he called the failure to communicate unacceptable, according to NBC News. Mayor Johnson also said medical evacuation flights were diverted to Las Cruces, about 45 miles away.

Airlines affected include Southwest and United

El Paso International Airport is served by major airlines, including Southwest, American, Delta, and United. El Paso International Airport described itself as the main gateway for West Texas, Southern New Mexico, and Northern Mexico.

El Paso International Airport said commercial airlines operating out of the airport were being informed of the restriction after the FAA issued it on short notice. The airport advised travelers to contact their airlines for the latest flight status information.

Airport traffic included 3.49 million passengers

El Paso International Airport handled 3.49 million passengers in the first 11 months of 2025, according to NBC News. That figure shows the airport’s scale as a regional hub during the period immediately before the temporary flight restriction.

NBC News reported the FAA order stopped all aircraft operations, including commercial and emergency flights, during the restriction window. Mayor Johnson said medical evacuation flights were diverted to Las Cruces, about 45 miles away, which illustrates how even specialized aviation was affected.

Fun fact: The FAA’s guidance notes that TFRs are temporary by design; they’re put in place for a specific need and time window, then removed.

NOTAMs have been used in other regions

The reporting described the notice as a Notice to Air Missions, or NOTAM, and said it is a critical advisory warning for pilots and airspace users. The report also said the U.S. government has issued similar alerts before, including one in November regarding airspace around Venezuela.

The earlier Venezuela alert was described as warning of a “potentially hazardous situation” and referenced a worsening security situation and heightened military activity in or around Venezuela. The report noted that prior notice to the U.S. government of NOTAMs is required to warn aviation stakeholders.

Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum asked for evidence

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said officials in Mexico had not seen evidence of drone activity along the border, according to NBC News. Sheinbaum said if the FAA or any U.S. government agency had relevant information, they could ask the government of Mexico directly, according to the report.

Sheinbaum said, “There’s no place for speculation,” according to NBC News. Her comments were made during her daily morning press conference, as described in the report.

LiveATC audio suggested short notice to staff

NBC News reported that a conversation captured by LiveATC.net suggested that El Paso International Airport had been notified only within the past hour before the restriction took effect. In the audio, an air traffic controller said a temporary flight restriction was going into effect and that “for the next 10 days we’re stopped,” according to NBC News.

NBC News reported the controller said the airport had been informed about 30 minutes to an hour earlier. The conversation involved a Southwest Airlines flight identified as Southwest WN1249 in the NBC News report.

For straightforward tips on what to do if your itinerary gets disrupted, you can just read more about how travelers can handle a canceled flight in the U.S.

The temporary flight restriction was later lifted

NBC News reported the FAA halted all flights out of El Paso International Airport for 10 days for “special security reasons” before abruptly lifting the order. NBC News reported that the FAA did not explain the about-face after issuing the restriction.

El Paso International Airport confirmed the initial restriction in a travel advisory and said all aircraft operations were prohibited, including commercial, cargo, and general aviation. The airport also urged travelers to contact airlines for flight status updates during the restriction window.

For background on the now-dropped proposal that would have created cash compensation tiers for long delays, see the latest reporting on the plan that capped out at $775.

What do you think about how a 10-day flight halt will affect travelers at this US airport? Could you share your thoughts and drop a comment?

This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.

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