https://www.theepochtimes.com/...KGCTOd1X5sSj38niA%3D

The agency cited unspecified ’special security reasons’ for the sweeping suspension that affects all commercial and cargo traffic.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has suspended all flights to and from El Paso International Airport in Texas for 10 days, citing unspecified “special security reasons.”

The restriction took effect at 1:30 a.m. ET on Feb. 11 and will remain in place through 1:30 a.m. on Feb. 21, according to FAA notices covering the airspace over El Paso and nearby Santa Teresa, New Mexico. The agency did not provide further details about the security concerns behind the decision.

“No pilots may operate an aircraft in the areas covered by this” notice, the FAA said, adding that the restriction excludes Mexican airspace.

The airport said in a travel advisory that all operations—commercial, cargo, and private aviation—were suspended and directed passengers to check directly with airlines for updates.

The restriction was issued under Title 14 CFR Section 99.7, which authorizes the FAA to implement special security instructions and restrict aircraft operations in U.S. airspace when required for national security.

The Epoch Times has reached out to the FAA for additional information about the nature of the security factors behind the restriction and whether any exemptions apply.

The FAA lifted the TFR. Weird goings on.

I stole ibanda's link:

https://apnews.com/article/faa...5986ff0e7003df709caa

Trump administration says El Paso airspace closure was tied to Mexican cartel drones

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration reopened the airspace around El Paso International Airport in Texas on Wednesday morning, just hours after it announced a 10-day closure that would have grounded all flights to and from the airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration said in a social media post that it has lifted the temporary closure of the airspace over El Paso, saying there was no threat to commercial aviation and that all flights will resume.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a post on X that the FAA and the Defense Department “acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region.”

He said normal flights are resuming Wednesday morning.

He did not say how many drones were involved or what specifically was done to disable them.

The shutdown announced just hours earlier “for special security reasons” had been expected to create significant disruptions given the duration and the size of the metropolitan area.

El Paso, a border city with a population of nearly 700,000 people and larger when you include the surrounding metro area, is hub of cross-border commerce alongside the neighboring city of Ciudad Juarez in Mexico. The brief closure does not include Mexican airspace.

The airport said in an Instagram post after the closure was announced that all flights to and from the airport would be grounded from late Tuesday through late on Feb. 20, including commercial, cargo and general aviation flights. It suggested travelers contact their airlines to get up-to-date flight information.

Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Democrat whose district includes El Paso, had urged the FAA to lift the restrictions in a statement Wednesday morning. There was no advance notice given to her office, the city of El Paso or airport operations, she said.

“The highly consequential decision by FAA to shut down the El Paso Airport for 10 days is unprecedented and has resulted in significant concern within the community,” Escobar said. “From what my office and I have been able to gather overnight and early this morning there is no immediate threat to the community or surrounding areas.”

The airport describes itself as the gateway to west Texas, southern New Mexico and northern Mexico. Southwest, United, American and Delta all operate flights there, among others.

A similar temporary flight restriction for special security reasons over the same time period was imposed around Santa Teresa, New Mexico, which is about 15 miles (24 kilometers) northwest of the El Paso airport.

Southwest Airlines said in a statement that it has paused all operations to and from El Paso at the direction of the FAA.

“We have notified affected customers and will share additional information as it becomes available,” Southwest Airlines said. “Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of its customers and employees.”

Well my conspiracy theories are, it's awfully close to Roswell, New Mexico and the UFOs are in the airspace. Or, we are about to send our black helicopters after the cartels and don't want anyone in the way.

And just as fast as they closed it, they have opened back up for commercial flights. Here's a story it was closed due to cartel drone threats.

quote:

“From what my office and I have been able to gather overnight and early this morning there is no immediate threat to the community or surrounding areas.”

And how the hell would you know?

Either arriving or departing ELP the flight pattern is over Mexico and at low altitude. An obvious security risk.

Biggs Army airfield is adjacent to the civilian airport and that might have had something to do with the closure. You have to be extremely vigilant flying into El Paso Intl to not line up on the runway at Biggs.

Allowing the Army aircraft unrestricted airspace to deal with the drone threat - especially after what happened in Washington DC last year - may have been the reason for the closure of the civilian traffic at El Paso Intl.

quote:

Originally posted by 229DAK:
And how the hell would you know?

Duh. Her name is "Escobar"....

It was Aliens, and I will not accept any information to the contrary.

quote:

Originally posted by FenderBender:
It was Aliens, and I will not accept any information to the contrary.

Now they are saying it was cartel drones, but I think that's cover for UFOs and little green men!

You guys trying to get this thread locked?

Maybe they got some intel on a kamikaze drone attack.

https://www.newsmax.com/us/faa...dkt_nbr=010502poocu8

FAA Reopens El Paso Airspace After 'Special Security' Closure

The Federal Aviation Administration reopened the airspace around El Paso International Airport in Texas on Wednesday morning, just hours after it announced a 10-day closure that would have grounded all flights to and from the airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration said in its X post that it has lifted the temporary closure of the airspace over El Paso, saying there was no threat to commercial aviation and that all flights will resume.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wrote in an X post that the FAA and the Defense Department "acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region."

cont...

Party balloon.

https://www.foxnews.com/politi...-drone-official-says

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:
You guys trying to get this thread locked?

“Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.”
— Plato

quote:

Originally posted by Sigfan Roy:
Biggs Army airfield is adjacent to the civilian airport and that might have had something to do with the closure. You have to be extremely vigilant flying into El Paso Intl to not line up on the runway at Biggs.

Allowing the Army aircraft unrestricted airspace to deal with the drone threat - especially after what happened in Washington DC last year - may have been the reason for the closure of the civilian traffic at El Paso Intl.

I was going to say, Ft Biss occasionally has some interesting traffic flying in/out, and White Sands is close by also and they've got even more 'interesting' items there. Dealing with cartel issues is the more plausible and realistic issue.

I recall down in San Diego when the Navy was doing exercises and there was a couple of incidents where the EA-6B Prowler (Electronic Warfare place) was involved and possibly a bit too close to residential areas, screwed up the signal to a lot of peoples radio's and TV's.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:
You guys trying to get this thread locked?

“Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.”
— Plato

I guess some people don't get the jokes.

Seeing speculation they meant to place a 10 hour hold and not a 10 day hold. That's a decent guess, but I'm thinking someone screwed up the initial announcement.

I wonder if Veronica is even capable of understanding the level of stupidity she is demonstrating.