El Paso Airspace Reopens as FAA Lifts 10-Day Flight Restrictions
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reopened airspace over El Paso and parts of southern New Mexico on Wednesday morning after a brief overnight closure. This unexpected shutdown was initially announced to last for 10 days, raising concerns among travelers and local officials. The White House attributed the closure to incursions by Mexican cartel drones into U.S. airspace, a claim that contradicts information from industry sources who suggested the issue stemmed from a standoff with the Department of Defense regarding unmanned military aircraft operations.
“The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal,” the FAA announced on X.
An industry official, who requested anonymity, informed the Tribune that the Defense Department had been conducting drone operations against drug cartel activities from a base near El Paso International Airport. However, this information had not been communicated to the FAA, leading to confusion about the potential flight paths of these unmanned aircraft.
“It has to do with the FAA’s inability to predict where [unmanned aircraft systems] might be flying,” the official explained. “They have been operating outside the normal flight paths.”
In contrast, a Trump administration official stated that the airspace closure was a direct response to the breach of U.S. airspace by cartel drones. The Department of War took action to neutralize the drones, and both the FAA and military have since confirmed that there is no ongoing threat to commercial travel.
“The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted on X, referring to the Department of War. “The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region.”
However, U.S. Representative Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, expressed skepticism regarding the administration’s explanation. During a Wednesday morning press conference, she stated, “The statement by the administration that this shutdown was linked to a Mexican cartel drone that came into U.S. airspace — that is not my understanding.”
Escobar emphasized that the FAA made the shutdown decision without notifying her, local officials, or El Paso International Airport. She learned about the closure late Tuesday night from a federal employee. While she refrained from commenting on the role of drone activity in the closure, she noted that such incursions have been common for years and called for transparency from the FAA regarding the abrupt airspace restrictions.
“The information coming from the administration does not add up, and it’s not the information that I was able to gather overnight and this morning,” she remarked.
The sudden notices late Tuesday resulted in the closure of airspace over El Paso and a significant area of southern New Mexico, west of Santa Teresa, for a duration of 10 days. El Paso International Airport was set to be closed to all flights, a move that could have caused significant disruption in the nation’s 23rd-largest city.
Escobar reassured the public that there was no actual threat to El Paso, which is why the restrictions were lifted so quickly.
A spokesperson for Southwest Airlines confirmed that the airline resumed operations to and from the airport following the FAA’s lifting of restrictions, advising customers to check their flight status before traveling.
The Tribune was unable to reach Fort Bliss officials for immediate comment.
This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.
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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reopened airspace over El Paso and parts of southern New Mexico on Wednesday morning after a brief overnight closure. This unexpected shutdown was initially announced to last for 10 days, raising concerns among travelers and local officials. The White House attributed the closure to incursions by Mexican cartel drones into U.S. airspace, a claim that contradicts information from industry sources who suggested the issue stemmed from a standoff with the Department of Defense regarding unmanned military aircraft operations.
“The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal,” the FAA announced on X.
An industry official, who requested anonymity, informed the Tribune that the Defense Department had been conducting drone operations against drug cartel activities from a base near El Paso International Airport. However, this information had not been communicated to the FAA, leading to confusion about the potential flight paths of these unmanned aircraft.
“It has to do with the FAA’s inability to predict where [unmanned aircraft systems] might be flying,” the official explained. “They have been operating outside the normal flight paths.”
In contrast, a Trump administration official stated that the airspace closure was a direct response to the breach of U.S. airspace by cartel drones. The Department of War took action to neutralize the drones, and both the FAA and military have since confirmed that there is no ongoing threat to commercial travel.
“The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted on X, referring to the Department of War. “The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region.”
However, U.S. Representative Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, expressed skepticism regarding the administration’s explanation. During a Wednesday morning press conference, she stated, “The statement by the administration that this shutdown was linked to a Mexican cartel drone that came into U.S. airspace — that is not my understanding.”
Escobar emphasized that the FAA made the shutdown decision without notifying her, local officials, or El Paso International Airport. She learned about the closure late Tuesday night from a federal employee. While she refrained from commenting on the role of drone activity in the closure, she noted that such incursions have been common for years and called for transparency from the FAA regarding the abrupt airspace restrictions.
“The information coming from the administration does not add up, and it’s not the information that I was able to gather overnight and this morning,” she remarked.
The sudden notices late Tuesday resulted in the closure of airspace over El Paso and a significant area of southern New Mexico, west of Santa Teresa, for a duration of 10 days. El Paso International Airport was set to be closed to all flights, a move that could have caused significant disruption in the nation’s 23rd-largest city.
Escobar reassured the public that there was no actual threat to El Paso, which is why the restrictions were lifted so quickly.
A spokesperson for Southwest Airlines confirmed that the airline resumed operations to and from the airport following the FAA’s lifting of restrictions, advising customers to check their flight status before traveling.
The Tribune was unable to reach Fort Bliss officials for immediate comment.
This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.
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