FAA Shuts Down El Paso Airspace for 10 Days Over Security Concerns

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a temporary notice Tuesday night shutting down airspace over El Paso for the next 10 days for what it described as "special security reasons." The notice applies to commercial and military aircraft and effectively halts operations at El Paso International Airport and Biggs Army Airfield. The FAA also issued temporary flight restrictions for a large part of southern New Mexico west of Santa Teresa, according to El Paso Matters. The restrictions took effect at 11:30 p.m. Mountain Time Tuesday and are set to expire at 11:30 p.m. Feb. 20.

"THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) CLASSIFIES THE AIRSPACE DEFINED IN THIS NOTAM AS 'NTL DEFENSE AIRSPACE'. PILOTS WHO DO NOT ADHERE TO THE FOLLOWING PROC MAY BE INTERCEPTED, DETAINED AND INTERVIEWED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT/SECURITY PERSONNEL," the notice said.

No pilots may operate any aircraft in the areas covered by the Notice to Air Missions, or NOTAM, within a 10-nautical-mile radius surrounding El Paso International Airport.

“All air traffic has been halted in a 10 nautical mile range around the airport, so encompassing El Paso and Fort Bliss, from the ground to 17,000 feet," a person familiar with the notices, who asked not to be identified because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly, told El Paso Matters. "So no aircraft in or out, regardless of what they are, whether it’s air carriers, military, medevac helicopters, law enforcement. Nobody can fly as this thing is written up."

The person said closing airspace over a major U.S. city for security reasons for an extended period has not happened since immediately after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

A separate section of the notice states: “THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT MAY USE DEADLY FORCE AGAINST THE AIRBORNE ACFT, IF IT IS DETERMINED THAT THE ACFT POSES AN IMMINENT SECURITY THREAT.”

The El Paso city government issued an advisory early Wednesday that flights at El Paso International Airport are canceled, El Paso Matters reported.

“The FAA, on short notice, issued a temporary flight restriction halting all flights to and from El Paso and our neighboring community, Santa Teresa, NM. The restriction prohibits all aircraft operations (including commercial, cargo and general aviation) and is effective from February 10 at 11:30 PM (MST) to February 20 at 11:30PM (MST),” a city news release said.

“Airport staff has reached out to the FAA, and we are pending additional guidance. In the meanwhile, commercial airlines operating out of El Paso are being informed of the restriction, which appears to be security related. Travelers are encouraged to contact their airlines to get the latest information on their flight status.”

El Paso, with a population of more than 681,000, sits in Far West Texas along the U.S.-Mexico border. It is also home to Fort Bliss, one of the largest U.S. military installations.