FAA Grounds All Flights at El Paso Airport for 10 Days

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The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a 10-day flight restriction order for El Paso International Airport, halting all commercial, cargo, and general aviation flights to and from the facility. The FAA cited unspecified 'special security reasons' for the temporary measure, which is effective from February 11 to February 20.

Why it matters

The sudden and unexplained flight restriction at a major regional airport is highly unusual and will significantly disrupt travel plans for thousands of passengers. It raises concerns about potential security threats or other undisclosed issues that have prompted this action by federal aviation authorities.

The details

The FAA order applies to the airspace over El Paso, Texas and the neighboring community of Santa Teresa, New Mexico. El Paso International Airport has issued a travel advisory informing passengers that all flights have been grounded, and is awaiting further guidance from the FAA on the reasons and duration of the restriction.

• The flight restriction is effective from 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 11 to February 20.
• The FAA issued the order late on Tuesday, February 11.

What’s next

The FAA has not provided a specific explanation for the flight restriction, and has not indicated when normal operations may resume at El Paso International Airport.