FAA Closes Airspace Over El Paso and New Mexico for 10 Days

No explanation given for the sudden airspace closure affecting the region.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced the closure of airspace over El Paso, Texas and most of New Mexico for a 10-day period, effective immediately. The FAA press service reported the closure but provided no explanation for the decision.

Why it matters

The sudden and unexplained airspace closure is highly unusual and is likely to cause significant disruption to air travel in the affected region. It raises concerns about potential national security issues or other unspecified reasons behind the FAA's actions.

The details

According to the FAA statement, the airspace over El Paso International Airport and surrounding areas in Texas and New Mexico will be off-limits to all flights for the next 10 days. No commercial or private aircraft will be permitted to enter the restricted airspace during this time period.

  • The airspace closure went into effect on February 11, 2026.

The players

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

The U.S. government agency responsible for the regulation and oversight of civil aviation.

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What’s next

It remains unclear if the FAA will provide any further explanation for the airspace closure or when normal operations may resume in the affected region.

The takeaway

The sudden and unexplained closure of airspace over a significant geographic area is highly unusual and raises concerns about potential national security issues or other unspecified reasons behind the FAA's actions. The disruption to air travel in the region is likely to be substantial until the FAA provides more information about the rationale and timeline for the airspace restrictions.