why are flights grounded in el paso

All flights in and out of El Paso are (or were) grounded because the FAA temporarily closed the airspace for “special security reasons,” a rare national‑security style move that it has not fully explained publicly.

Why are flights grounded in El Paso?

The core reason

• The Federal Aviation Administration issued a temporary flight restriction over El Paso International Airport, halting almost all flights to and from the city.

• Officially, the order cites “special security reasons,” with no detailed public explanation so far.

• The restriction initially covered about 10 days, from late Feb. 10 until around Feb. 20 (local time), impacting commercial, cargo, and general aviation.

Local officials have said they were not briefed in advance and learned about the shutdown when the public did, which has added to the confusion and controversy.

What this means for travelers

• All regular flights affected: Airlines like Southwest, United, American, Delta, and others that serve El Paso have had their flights paused or rerouted during the restriction window.

• Medical and emergency flights hit too: City leaders say some emergency and medical flights, including shipments of surgical equipment, were forced to divert during the closure.

• Check directly with airlines: The airport has urged passengers to contact their airlines for the latest status or rebooking options.

If you’re booked to fly through El Paso during the affected dates, your best move is to look for alerts from your airline and consider alternate airports in West Texas or southern New Mexico.

What’s being said about why

Officially, the government has not disclosed the precise threat or activity behind the “special security” designation, which has sparked a lot of speculation online.

Common theories circulating in forums and comment threads include:

1. Possible classified military or anti‑drone operations in the area.
2. Concerns about cartel or cross‑border drone activity near a major U.S.–Mexico corridor.
3. Some kind of sensitive federal or defense operation that required a clean airspace window.

None of these explanations have been formally confirmed, and they remain speculative; the only verified fact is that the FAA invoked a rare security- based airspace shutdown over a major U.S. city.

Local reaction and why it’s a big deal

• El Paso’s mayor has publicly criticized the decision, calling it unnecessary and poorly coordinated, and noted the city had not seen a closure like this since 9/11.

• City representatives say neither civilian nor local military authorities were warned ahead of time, which they describe as highly unusual.

• Given El Paso’s role as a hub for cross‑border trade and travel with nearby Ciudad Juárez, the shutdown has outsized economic and logistical impact for the region.

In short: flights are grounded not because of weather or routine technical issues, but because of an extraordinary FAA security order that’s still only partially explained to the public.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public news outlets, wire services, and open online discussions and portrayed here.