What We Know About the El Paso Airspace Shutdown

At 11:30 p.m. local time the Federal Aviation Administration halted all flights to and from El Paso International Airport for 10 days, citing “special security reasons.” The restriction covered a 10-mile area around El Paso and the neighboring community of Santa Teresa, N.M., but did not apply to aircraft flying above 18,000 feet.

One FAA notice warned the federal government “may use deadly force” if an aircraft violating the airspace was deemed to pose “an imminent security threat.” The order came without warning and was lifted less than eight hours later at the direction of the White House, with the agency saying, “There is no threat to commercial aviation.” Local officials, travelers and airlines said the move caused chaos.

El Paso’s mayor called the failure to communicate “unacceptable,” and medical evacuation flights were forced to divert to Las Cruces, N.M.; Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn sought a classified briefing on the episode.

United States, El Paso; Santa Teresa, N.M.

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