We live in strange times, but this is especially odd, even in an era where I feel like we’re desensitized to most things. El Paso Airport (ELP) is closed for the next 10 days, and we don’t know why (and don’t worry, I’ll save you the Vasu Raja jokes… IYKYK).
In this post:
FAA halts flights at El Paso Airport for unknown reasons
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has grounded all flights to and from El Paso Airport for a period of 10 days, between 11:30PM on February 10 and 11:30PM on February 20, 2026. This applies to commercial, cargo, and general aviation traffic, and airline passengers are being told to contact their airlines.
The restrictions came in the form of a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), and applies within 10 nautical miles of the airport, and up to an altitude of 18,000 feet. It was announced with little advance notice, so has caught all parties off guard, with the only explanation being offered is that this is due to “special security reasons.”
What could possibly explain this airport closure?
I don’t think we’ve ever seen a commercial airport close for this amount of time with virtually no advance notice, and no obvious reason. It’s not uncommon to see temporary flight restrictions in response to government traffic, or following some sort of a terrorist attack, or something. But to just see a commercial airport close for 10 days without any of that is sort of unheard of.
Interestingly, the 10 nautical miles around the airport isn’t the only airspace being closed. There’s more airspace in the region that’s being restricted as well.
To state the obvious, El Paso is located very close to the border between the United States and Mexico, as is all the airspace impacted by these new 10-day restrictions. One wonders if there’s some sort of military activity planned, or what? At the same time, I can’t really make sense of these airspace closures when you consider how small the zones are.
These are truly incredibly strange times we live in, and I don’t even know what to make of this airport and airspace closure. In response to El Paso Airport’s announcement, I see some local residents in the area asking on the airport’s social media posts whether they’re safe, and I can’t blame them for wondering. Like, can we rule out aliens?
Bottom line
El Paso Airport has just closed, and it will remain that way for the next 10 days. We don’t know why this is happening, other than that it’s due to “special security reasons.” I don’t think we’ve ever seen an airport close for this long without any sort of obvious reason, so one can’t help but wonder what’s going on here…
What do you make of this El Paso Airport closure?
I would never comment on a post like this one. Never.
Kinda sucks that this is maybe the most isolated major city in the continental US
I am seeing multiple reports that it’s the DoD that has requested this due to activity at Fort Bliss and others, perhaps ME related;
https://x.com/petemuntean/status/2021573468341383284?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
Outlets reporting it has to do with US government drones being used to counter the cartel in that area.
Hmmmm....run by the local government as a municipal service, the local government and mayor are both Democratic, who'd have thunk it. Airport also has some role with NASA, which perhaps some Ketamine addict wants to bring in-house or at least see not being used.
WAG THE DOG... "a strategy where a political leader engages in diversionary tactics—often involving military action or another high-stakes maneuver—to distract the public from a pending or existing scandal, crisis, or failure."
Epstein... *bark bark bark*
You have to believe there really is a threat to aviation - potentially drone activity from Mexico - but I have to believe that this wasn't done without a very clear understanding of the risk and what would be done to eliminate it.
I am here for the comments
I'm here for the importer/exporter of latex... Art Vandy...
Why save us from the Vasu Raja jokes Ben? I was looking forward to hearing some when I clicked on the post :)
Come on Ben (and readers), give me the best Vasu Raja jokes you have
Okay. You asked for it. "AA's business model." Okay. Here's another. "Another airline hired him." I got a million of 'em.
The aliens escaped from Area 51
I wish. (That's in Nevada, not Texas, btw.)
Whatever Mango Mussolini is up to, it'll be another distraction from the evidence of sexual assault of minors that continues to drip out from the files.
^This guy gets it. Wag the dog!