El Paso Airspace Shut Down for «special security reasons» After Surprise Pentagon Counter-Drone Plan

After the FAA abruptly imposed a sweeping 10-day shutdown of airspace over El Paso, Texas, citing «special security reasons» and grounding flights up to 18,000 feet, the decision sparked confusion among pilots, airlines and local officials. The unprecedented closure was lifted roughly eight hours later, with the FAA later stating that «there is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal.»

Now, multiple sources say the shutdown was triggered by an uncoordinated Pentagon plan to deploy a high-energy counter-drone laser near El Paso International Airport. Officials had been scheduled to meet on February 20 to review safety risks, but the Defense Department sought to use the system sooner, prompting emergency FAA action.

The planned 10-day shutdown was described as unusually sweeping, with the FAA classifying the affected zone as «(National) Defense Airspace». According to CNN, the restriction included warnings that aircraft violating the order could be intercepted, detained and questioned by law enforcement. The FAA also warned that enforcement actions could include suspension of flight certifications and criminal charges, and said the U.S. government may use deadly force if an aircraft posed an imminent security threat:

«Pilots who do not adhere to the following proc may be intercepted, detained and interviewed by law enforcement/security personnel. The United States government may use deadly force against the airborne aircraft, if it is determined that the aircraft poses an imminent security threat.» The measures suggested an exceptional level of urgency, even though no public explanation was offered. The restriction was issued on short notice, leaving airport staff and travelers scrambling for answers.

Audio captured by LiveATC.net documented the moment pilots were informed of the grounding, reflecting the surprise within aviation operations.

An air-traffic controller was heard telling flight crews, «Just pass it on to everybody else, at 06:30 for the next 10 days, we’re all at a ground stop.» A pilot responded, «OK, ground stop 06:30 for how long?» The controller replied, «Ten days.»

The pilot then asked, chuckling, «So the airport is totally closed?»

The controller answered, «Apparently, we just got informed about 30 minutes to an hour ago.»

The exchange highlighted the lack of advance warning and the unusual scale of the closure.

El Paso International Airport, which sits next to the U.S. military’s Biggs Army Airfield on Fort Bliss and across the border from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, confirmed the suspension of flights and said operations would be grounded until February 20.

The airport posted on Instagram that flights were grounded from just before midnight on February 11 for a 10-day period. The airport serves as a major gateway for West Texas, southern New Mexico, and northern Mexico, and it handled nearly 3.5 million passengers in the first 11 months of 2025. The sudden shutdown created immediate disruption in a region heavily reliant on air traffic and cross-border commerce.

The closure also triggered concern from elected officials. Democratic Representative Veronica Escobar, whose congressional district includes El Paso, said she had received no advance notice from federal authorities and urged the FAA to lift the restriction. She posted on X, «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.» Escobar also noted that «There was no advance notice provided to my office, the City of El Paso, or anyone involved in airport operations.» Her comments underscored how unexpectedly the decision was imposed and how little information was shared publicly during the shutdown.

Despite being announced as a 10-day measure, the FAA reversed course within hours. By Wednesday morning, the agency lifted the temporary restriction and announced, «there is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal.»

The agency’s reversal came amid conflicting explanations about what prompted the shutdown, with a Pentagon source telling officials that a planned deployment of a high-energy counter-drone laser near El Paso contributed to the FAA’s decision.

A senior administration official said the closure was triggered by Defense Department «action to disable» cartel drones, while Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted on X that officials had acted «swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion.» The quick reopening left unanswered questions about why the airspace was closed in the first place, why such sweeping restrictions were deemed necessary without advance notice to local leaders, and why FAA and Pentagon coordination had broken down so dramatically.

The rare closure has drawn comparisons to the nationwide grounding of flights following the September 11 attacks and highlighted tensions between military operations and civilian aviation oversight.