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FAA Halts All Flights at El Paso Airport for 10 Days

FAA Halts All Flights at El Paso Airport for 10 Days

edward

Comments (412)

  • heythere22
  • sva_
    > Airline sources told Reuters the grounding of flights was believed to be tied to the Pentagon's use of counterdrone technology to address Mexican drug cartels' use of drones of the U.S.-Mexico border.https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-halts-all-flights-texass...
  • jmatthiass
    As someone else mentioned, there’s some speculation in aviation subreddits that the bounds of the altitude restriction map to the MANPAD capabilities that some cartels are purported to have.https://www.reddit.com/r/aviation/comments/1r1s4zt/comment/o...My read is that the admin is planning forceful strikes on the cartels within Mexico and is worried about their ability to retaliate by taking down US aircraft across the border.Edit: The closure has now been kiboshed. The wording seems a little “don’t panic-y” to me, but better that than the alternative! https://x.com/FAANews/status/2021583720465969421
  • fabian2k
    There is a circular restriction around the airport and a trapezoid one next to the city (https://elpasomatters.org/2026/02/11/unexplained-faa-order-s...).What are the plausible explanations here? I can't think of anything except military action against Mexico (or the cartels inside Mexico). But even that doesn't fit well.A suspected terror attack could explain the airspace around the airport, but not the weird trapezoid restriction next to the city.The duration of 10 days is also weird, that seems very long for any kind of emergency situation. And as far as I understand, it is unusual to have no exceptions at all here e.g. for medical transports via helicopter.
  • thomasjudge
  • u1hcw9nx
    Action to close airspace over a major city in the US for security reasons over extended period hasn’t happened since 9/11.10 day closure for security reasons seems really long.edit: Same restriction imposed around Santa Teresa, New Mexico. ~15 miles northwest of the El Paso airport.
  • bdbdbdb
    To me the trapezoid suggests something traveling south fell in the area. Narrow at the top, wide at the bottom.Maybe they dropped a nuke by accident (again)
  • EwanG
    According to postings on a couple Reddit discussions, this surprised the El Paso city council among others:https://www.reddit.com/r/aviation/comments/1r1r7tu/what_does...andhttps://www.reddit.com/r/ADSB/comments/1r1pqnp/10_day_tfr_is...
  • dlcarrier
    Here's a direct link to the notice: https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_6_2233Temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) tend to be pretty terse, but they do usually call out "VIP" if they're due to someone visiting.The type listing of "security" gets thrown around a lot, though. For example there's a permanent security TFR around the closest Air Force base to me (https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_5_8746) because they regularly fly unmanned aircraft that can't fly in insufficiently controlled airspace, and the standard airspace layout around an airport of that size isn't sufficient, so instead of making special rules for that airport, there's a "security" TFR to give air-traffic controllers extra control of what would normally be uncontrolled airspace.It is pretty unusually to get such a short notice, and to not have instructions for exemptions.
  • wocka
    The Federal Aviation Administration said it had lifted the temporary closure of airspace over El Paso that it had imposed last night. “All flights will resume as normal,” the F.A.A. said on social media.
  • exegete
  • 3D30497420
    Further commentary/speculation on this Reddit thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/ADSB/comments/1r1pqnp/10_day_tfr_is...It includes a local city Councilmember who's says he is working to get more information.
  • Nathanael_M
    The percentage of comments written primarily for the purpose irrational political ranting is frustrating, considering the genuinely interesting nature of the story.
  • Shank
    Nuclear weapons test? The latest test treaty just expired.Edit: There are two TFRs, one in El Paso and one right next to it in the mountains: https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_6_2234
  • weirdsweatsuit
    Representative Veronica Escobar, an El Paso Democrat, said in a news conference that the explanation citing Mexican drones crossing the border as the reason for the closure was “not the information that we in Congress have been told.”She said that there was no current or past threat to the area. “There’s no threat. There was not a threat, which is why the F.A.A. lifted this restriction so quickly,” she said. “The information coming from the administration does not add up.”“There have been drone incursions from Mexico going back to as long as drones existed. So this is nothing new” (NYT)
  • c420
    "A person familiar with the notices, who asked not to be identified because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly, said the action to close airspace over a major U.S. for security reasons over extended period hasn’t happened since immediately after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001."https://elpasomatters.org/2026/02/11/unexplained-faa-order-s...
  • con
    FAA closed another airspace nearby: https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_6_2234- From February 11, 2026 at 0630 UTC (February 10, 2026 at 2330 MST)- To February 21, 2026 at 0630 UTC (February 20, 2026 at 2330 MST)My guess is nuclear tests
  • utf_8x
  • sph
    Maybe there's credible threat of MANPADs from the cartels? Wouldn't be the first time around, apparently.https://old.reddit.com/r/aviation/comments/1r1s4zt/faa_groun...
  • nnnnico
    More likely to be related to the E Files than the X ones
  • Havoc
    My money is on misplaced black budget project craftMaybe that new F-47 did a trump and fell asleep somewhere in the desert
  • baq
    Millions of dollars of stuck planes and cargo. If it was somebody’s fantasy, it sure was an expensive one - but I’m not sure I want to know what it was if it was a real thing
  • roysting
    I wonder if the dormant volcanic field west of El Paso that is covered by the TFR may be similar to Iranian volcanic mountains?Remember, the Netanyahoo just arrived in the US mere hours before this and it is always a bad omen when the devil comes to collect.
  • codeduck
    Am I hallucinating? Wasn't there just an identical thread on the front page not even an hour ago?
  • einarfd
    Could it be that USA government believe that Iran might be trying to do something similar to the Ukraine operation spiderweb, where they attacked the Russian long distance bomber fleet with short distance FPV drones? While there aren't bombers at Fort Bliss. As far as I know there are other high value targets.
  • cozzyd
    During the ICE surge in Chicago drone traffic was banned for a while but this is obviously much more extreme if for a similar reason. Note that at least on some roads out (I'm most familiar with the road to Carlsbad from El Paso since I used to have to travel there in grad school, often from ELP) there are already CBP checkpoints.
  • whizzter
    "Special security reason", sounds like a prelude to a special military operation?
  • anon
    undefined
  • voxadam
    Judging by the previous actions of this administration — Operation Metro Surge 2: Tex-Mex Boogaloo
  • jollyllama
    Related to the Guthrie kidnapping perhaps?
  • anon
    undefined
  • einrealist
    Reminds me of this: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russia-plot-plant-bombs-c...El Paso is a hub for cargo. Probably takes some days to go through all that parcel.
  • chasd00
    Some drug cartel probably bought a SAM and they’re trying to find it.
  • bloomingeek
    NPR just announced the El Paso airport is back online for air travel.
  • bashtoni
    According to CNN the entire airspace is closed, not just the airport https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/11/us/faa-el-paso-texas-flig...
  • durge
    Could be a window for a bunch of deportation activity? It's not very low profile if that's the case.
  • anon
    undefined
  • vincnetas
  • altairprime
    I wonder if this was issued by the VP’s Secret Service to the FAA directly; they got caught last year fucking with DC airspace using a beacon spoofer, and they would (presumably, they’re the SS) have the authority to issue these secretly without having to be named and answer for the impact: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/aviation-flights-whi...(See also Die Hard 2, I suppose.)But: of the “less simple than invading Mexico” theory (which would be trivial to confirm or refute with binoculars and telescopes) I think the nuclear testing theory is more likely, as it would be in character for the current U.S. administration to decide to turn a border region radioactive to both decrease both the quantity of, and the median fertility of, those who cross the border, especially following posturing about health care costs. Presumably the U.S. does not view itself as liable to Mexico for across-the-border downwinder’s treatment costs. Not seeing a spike in KI prices in a couple spot checks, though.Hopefully it’s something offensive enough to finally get the world to embargo Palantir.
  • markus_zhang
    Aliens? I want to believe...
  • donkeybeer
    They have issued orders about banning drones around ICE agents, so it's possible the terrorist agency ICE are building a base there. ICE have been given a massive funding boost so it has to go somewhere. Or its the works for some kind of military invasion of Cuba or Mexico.Idk what the topography of the place is. If possible someone should put a telescope there and see what's up.
  • burnt-resistor
    It was reported on Democracy Now! that an anonymous source said the military representing Biggs Army Air Field at Fort Bliss (KBIF) couldn't guarantee safety of commercial air traffic around El Paso International Airport (KELP). There was no specific details communicated and the message released caused unnecessary panic. The most likely explanation seems to be an unresolved dispute between the military and the FAA related to improving airspace safety around military flight tracks near major airports (class B/C/D airspace).
  • philipwhiuk
    FAA has rescinded the TFR - looks like a possible DoD goof in relation to army exercises, leading to the FAA being overcautious.
  • philipwhiuk
    > BREAKING: A source briefed by FAA tells me the El Paso flight ban was driven by military operations from Biggs Army Air Field at Fort Bliss https://x.com/petemuntean/status/2021573468341383284
  • meindnoch
    Crashed alien vehicle recovery?
  • anon
    undefined
  • t1234s
    Downed UAP recovery?
  • wavemode
    If there were some mundane reason for the shutdown (e.g. ATC staffing, or volcanic ash) it wouldn't be a secret, and if there were an emergency (one severe enough to ground all aircraft for so song) we would've heard or seen something.Occam's Razor says, this order came down from Trump. If that's the case, only question remaining would be what is he planning.
  • Noaidi
    They lifted the restriction:https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/11/faa-el-paso-airport.htmlTACOs…..
  • ubermonkey
    If a reasonable administration took this step without any justification, I'd have serious questions.Under this administration, I'm very very concerned that it's cover for something deeply nefarious.
  • vjvjvjvjghv
    “For special security reasons”. Is a “special military operation “ following? Maybe somebody in Mexico said something mean about the president.But seriously, is this normal without any explanation? The cost must be enormous.
  • anon
    undefined
  • JumpinJack_Cash
    What are the odds that Claudia the President of Mexico has already been extracted now?
  • xyst
    Has anybody checked the pizza/chinese takeout traffic in DC?
  • incomingpain
    https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_6_2233This isnt a particularly special thing. It's a catchall rule and given the identical one to the west, it looks like a common military one.
  • josefritzishere
    Is Trump planning to attack Mexico?
  • october8140
    Strike on Mexico incoming.
  • metalman
    There is a slim possibility that if it was airtraffic control equipment upgrades, but that would be put in the bullitin and known about long in advance, that it is just imposed with no warning is wrong and just shows how the FAA is becoming more 3 letter every day.
  • kgwxd
    Another distraction from the Trump Files.
  • fallingmeat
    guys. it's aliens. nbd.
  • JumpinJack_Cash
    The entire conspiracy theory industry is praying that the closure runs its course for the established 10 days and then everything is re-opened and the reasons behind the closure are not further explained or even better become classifiedNot saying this isn't suspect though.
  • sylware
    "Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker"
  • theonlyjesus
    I'm from El Paso. This is bullshit if I've ever heard. There are no fucking drones around here, especially not from cartels. The only criminal cartel here is ICE.
  • KnuthIsGod
    Launching the invasion of Canada and Greenland perhaps..
  • sriram_malhar
    "Wag The Dog" movie all over again. Sure looks like deflection from the Epstein Files and economy.