Chaos and confusion in El Paso after airspace closed and quickly reopened

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 5 min read 100% complete by Lorena Figueroa in El PasoFebruary 12, 2026 at 12:16 AM

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long article 5 min

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a surprise order to shut down airspace over El Paso, Texas, for 10 days, causing chaos and disruption in the city. The order was made without prior warning or explanation to local officials, who were left scrambling for answers. The FAA cited "special security reasons" as the reason for the restriction, which affected commercial, cargo, and general aviation traffic. The order was originally set to expire on February 20 but was lifted just hours later after a social media post stating there was no threat to commercial aviation. As a result, airlines canceled or delayed 14 flights to and from El Paso, and medical evacuation and emergency flights were diverted to Las Cruces, New Mexico. Local leaders criticized the FAA's decision as unacceptable due to lack of coordination with local authorities.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

New Mexico 35% Las Cruces 40% El Paso International Airport 45% September 11 2001 50% Fort Bliss 55% United States 60% Texas ×270% Renard Johnson ×275% Federal Aviation Administration ×490% El Paso ×895%

Keywords

airspace closure 90% faa 80% el paso 80% flight disruption 70% temporary flight restriction 60% airport chaos 50% security reasons 50% communication failure 40%