The Federal Aviation Administration has reopened the airspace around El Paso International Airport in Texas.
The restriction had been imposed for “special security reasons” according to a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) on the website of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
But the FAA said in a social media post later on Wednesday that it had lifted the closure, there was no threat to commercial aviation and that all flights will resume.
The notice designated the skies around the airport as an “NTL defense airspace” and says that pilots who do not comply “may be intercepted, detained and interviewed by law enforcement”.
It further warned that the US government may use “deadly force” against aircraft deemed to pose an “imminent security threat”.
The action was believed to be linked to the Pentagon using counter-drone technology to tackle drug cartel activity at the nearby Mexican border, airline sources told Reuters.
Image:
The no-fly zone over El Paso. Pic: FAA
The restriction covered all flights to and from the airport, applies up to a height of 18,000 feet, and remains in place until 21 February at 6.30am UTC.
The no-fly zone, which was centred around the airport, had a radius of 10 nautical miles, and also covered the nearby Biggs Army Airfield.
El Paso International is roughly four miles from the Mexican border, so the order excluded Mexican airspace.
Similar restrictions, again extending to the Mexican border, have been imposed in nearby Santa Teresa, covering the East Potrillo Mountains Wilderness Area.
Both notices warned: “No pilots may operate an aircraft in the areas covered by this NOTAM.”
It’s the first time since the 9/11 attacks that the airspace over a major US city has been closed for an extended period of time for security reasons, according to a person familiar with the notices.
Speaking anonymously to local news outlet, El Paso Matters, the source said: “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.”
Posting on Reddit, Chris Canales, who represents El Paso in the Texas House of Representatives, told constituents: “We’re all trying to work out why this crazy NOTAM was issued by the FAA.”
Image:
An aerial view of the US-Mexico border seen from downtown El Paso, Texas. Pic: Reuters
He continued: “It isn’t a typo or an error. FAA issued this NOTAM intentionally as written.
“Nobody local got advance notice – neither civilian nor military leadership.
“Military does not have carte blanche exemption. Army seems to be fretting about their flights tomorrow just as much as everyone else.”
Another representative, Vincent Perez, told the New York Times: “I have never heard of an American airspace being shut down for 10 days, absent a major emergency.”
In 2024, more than four million passengers used El Paso International.
Despite its name, the airport appears to offer mainly domestic flights to other US destinations.