Unusual FAA restriction closes El Paso airspace for 10 days
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A 10-mile ring of airspace centered on El Paso, Texas, is effectively closed to aircraft for the next 10 days after the Federal Aviation Administration issued a surprise restriction late Tuesday night for "special security reasons."
Why it matters: The temporary flight restriction, or TFR, includes the airspace over El Paso International Airport, effectively shutting down the city's main aviation link.
- A notice to pilots classified the area as "national defense airspace," and warned that deadly force may be used against aircraft violating the restriction, standard language for such designations.
What they're saying: "All flights to and from El Paso are grounded, including commercial, cargo and general aviation," El Paso International Airport posted on Facebook early Wednesday.
- "Travelers should contact their airlines to get most up-to-date flight status information."
- The FAA did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.
- Local lawmakers, including Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) and Texas State Rep. Vincent Perez (D), were surprised by the move, The New York Times reports. El Paso City Representative Chris Canales posted on Reddit, "Nobody local got advance notice — neither civilian nor military leadership."
Between the lines: The FAA issues TFRs all the time for lots of different reasons — one recently protected the airspace over Sunday's Super Bowl, for example.
- But it's highly unusual to shut down the airspace over a major American city for a prolonged stretch of time without a clear explanation.
Also strange: The language of the TFR doesn't include the typical carve-outs for first responder and military aircraft.
- Biggs Army Airfield, home to many U.S. military aircraft used along the border with Mexico, falls within the TFR as well.
Context: The 10-mile ring includes parts of Juárez, in Mexico — but the TFR specifically excludes Mexican airspace.
- TFRs are typically drawn as circles around a point, with carve-outs and exemptions listed textually as needed.
- TFRs can be ended early if the FAA decides to do so.
