FAA closes the airspace around El Paos, TX for 10 days without explanation

[Winehole23]

for contrast, after 9/11 airspace was only closed for two days


The Federal Aviation Administration is closing the airspace around El Paso International Airport in Texas for 10 days, grounding all flights to and from the airport.


A notice posted on the FAA’s website said the temporary flight restrictions were for “special security reasons,” but did not provide additional details. The closure does not include Mexican airspace.


The airport said in an Instagram post that all flights to and from the airport would be grounded from late Tuesday through late on Feb. 20, including commercial, cargo and general aviation flights. It suggested travelers contact their airlines to get up-to-date flight information.
https://apnews.com/article/faa-el-paso-texas-air-space-closed-1f774bdfd46f5986ff0e7003df709caa

[Winehole23]

local leaders and military taken by surprise


https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:hrahz2kvjzbb2vy3wgzprbsx/bafkreidkldfrgdqyk2gz5tapgx4wl4fnjycascrzshvrq5qol rc7wt3uua@jpeg

[Winehole23]

~879,000 people live in and around El Paso

[Winehole23]

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:fphj62hdaagffntkjocmrebv/bafkreid4mtuixhgawwgs3bpnqey5cvmeouzwitruyicylfv6b jxgcl5gfu@jpeg
https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:fphj62hdaagffntkjocmrebv/bafkreih5zpxpljkrqrrvk3upta4drx44lwbo5o5tfk3lybx5u jrkawy7fa@jpeg

[Winehole23]

https://i0.wp.com/elpasomatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/NOTAM.png?fit=1200%2C538&ssl=1

[Winehole23]

aviation scuttlebutt isn't very illuminating

https://www.reddit.com/r/aviation/comments/1r1s4zt/faa_grounds_all_flights_to_and_from_el_paso_until/

[Winehole23]

holy shit, there's one for New Orleans too?



https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:ulmkygzwhpsol4rgowhg7qsg/bafkreigsazdn7o5zydnn5evfvij3cecwbih4jd65t63jgo2dx 74egedbuq@jpeg

[Winehole23]

just as suddenly and similarly without explanation, the NOTAM is taken down



EL PASO, Texas (AP) — FAA says it has lifted temporary closure of airspace over El Paso, Texas, and all flights to resume.

[Winehole23]

deconflicting airspace is a plausible surmise


Smells like FAA told US military (border force / ATF / whoever) that drone-killing zappers should be nowhere near commercial aircraft, those safety warnings were ignored or rejected, so the FAA had no choice but to embarrass them into a climbdown

[Winehole23]

what a clusterf@ck


https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ibf3im5ak3m2tkkzkj6asan5/bafkreicm77lpdpx6eyv7dnr3ojwpsqxhvvaahho6kunzcelw4 k4dooclee@jpeg

[TSA]

deconflicting airspace is a plausible surmise


Smells like FAA told US military (border force / ATF / whoever) that drone-killing zappers should be nowhere near commercial aircraft, those safety warnings were ignored or rejected, so the FAA had no choice but to embarrass them into a climbdown



sMeLLs LiKe

You are such a fucking hack :lol

https://x.com/sentdefender/status/2021590367838064780

[ChumpDumper]

:lmao CARTEL ATTACK DRONES SHUT DOWN US AIRSPACE FOR TEN DAYS

[Blake]

:lmao CARTEL ATTACK DRONES SHUT DOWN US AIRSPACE FOR TEN DAYS

:lol they always believe whatever the convicted felon in chief tells them to believe

[Winehole23]

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:k7eezr2ybq7cxtptak2q4uhp/bafkreihgywmbobiub7g5mejfmlqyzwufn7jzwrq3gmpy4md7f aoczpnj4y@jpeg
https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:k7eezr2ybq7cxtptak2q4uhp/bafkreieeh54khyhatdowymln3ovmsvciq3auz26mzglhrgt2h alrngafpu@jpeg
https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:k7eezr2ybq7cxtptak2q4uhp/bafkreihenojyxuoazsmrlo4zrqio7a2whwtcdjm4buwmqijmj ryvkdaxja@jpeg

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/airspace-closure-followed-spat-over-drone-related-tests-and-party-balloon-shoot-down-sources-say/

[ChumpDumper]

Ooo, Bari didn't get a chance to spike that story.

TSA sure trusts the federal government these days.

[Winehole23]

:lmao


https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:rogqxhzq6vy54nbuy4n6rwyd/bafkreig7araavarjpg7tyaom2eas5yytdsgeesn4tzll7fsh6 4mohinr4u@jpeg

[ChumpDumper]

It was probably a balloon from a baby gender reveal party during Kid Rock's halftime show.

At a cartel compound, or something.

[Winehole23]

It was probably a balloon from a baby gender reveal party during Kid Rock's halftime show.

At a cartel compound, or something.lol FAA shutting down the Department of War

Pam Bondi went into protection mode today, frantic deflection and hostility

She did not project confidence and strength

[Winehole23]

Bad communication, disorganization and maladministration -- apparently there's no one who reads intergovernmental news at DOD or the White House at night


On Feb. 6, Mr. McKenna wrote back, detailing the F.A.A.’s concerns about the potential for death or injuries to passengers and offering to put up flight restrictions in the areas where the Defense Department “proposes to deploy” the lasers.

Mr. McKenna declined to comment for this article.

Then in the dark morning hours of Feb. 9, members of a C.B.P. tactical unit, who had been trained how to use the counter-drone lasers by the Army, decided to deploy one, while members of the military looked on. They aimed the laser at what they thought was a drone flying near the Army’s Fort Bliss, though it turned out to be a metallic balloon.

It was the first known domestic use of the weapon by federal officials outside of a controlled environment, according to two people with knowledge of the technology, and it was done without the F.A.A.’s approval, in a possible violation of the law..


At 5:16 p.m. that same day, hours after the laser system had been used, Mr. Ditlevson responded to the F.A.A. lawyer that the Pentagon was not changing its position on its use.

“While I can appreciate your concerns, we feel we have met the statutory requirement to coordinate with your organization,” he wrote to Mr. McKenna, copying senior Pentagon officials as well as staff members from the National Security Council.

He noted that he “looked forward” to an upcoming meeting to discuss the lasers.

Officials at the F.A.A. were furious, according to multiple people familiar with the fallout.

Agency officials asked to move up a risk mitigation meeting that had been planned for Feb. 20, in which the F.A.A. had hoped to gain information that would satisfy their remaining concerns.

It did not happen.

It is unclear precisely when or how the F.A.A. learned about the shot-down balloon.

But at least by Tuesday afternoon, the agency’s top officials were clearly aware and had made up their minds: Concerned that the system could be used again without F.A.A. clearance, they would close the airspace above El Paso for 10 days. The significance of that length of time is still unclear.

The agency notified Mr. Duffy, who was in favor of the plan, according to three people who were briefed on the matter.

Mr. McKenna then dispatched a written notification to Mr. Ditlevson that was copied to more than a dozen counterparts at the White House and the Defense Department, according to a document reviewed by The Times.

“I’ve discussed this with the F.A.A. administrator,” Mr. McKenna wrote. Given that the Pentagon had now “operationalized” a high-energy laser, he wrote that he had directed the issuance of temporary flight restriction “to ensure aviation safety in the area.”

In other words, by 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Washington, the F.A.A. had explicitly warned the Pentagon and the National Security Council that it would be shutting down the airspace above Fort Bliss until they could iron things out.

The restriction was to begin seven hours later.

But it is unclear whether those warnings ever made their way to Mr. Hegseth, President Trump or his senior-most staff. The interagency process has atrophied under Mr. Trump, who has dramatically shrunk the size of the National Security Council during his second term, even as the portfolio of international crises has grown.

And when the F.A.A. made its move, many in Washington were asleep.h​ttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/14/us/politics/el-paso-airspace-closure-faa-pentagon.html?unlocked_article_code=1.MVA.pBPA.T7i LpP6ncJBH&smid=bs-share

[Winehole23]

FAA beats DOD


By Wednesday morning, Susie Wiles, Mr. Trump’s chief of staff, had ordered the F.A.A. to reopen the airspace, and the blame game had already begun.


Despite the war of words, the F.A.A. has already won at least one concession, according to two people briefed on the matter: The new lasers have been taken out of commission for the moment.


On Friday, when asked about Mr. Duffy, the president said he was “doing a great job.”

[Winehole23]

DOD/DHS clownshow

apparently the terrorist party balloon shoot down was a cover story

most likely no one will resign or be fired over this, but someone should


The U.S. military used a laser Thursday to shoot down a “seemingly threatening” drone flying near the U.S.-Mexico border. It turned out the drone belonged to Customs and Border Protection, lawmakers said.
The case of mistaken identity prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to close additional airspace around Fort Hancock, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of El Paso. The military is required to formally notify the FAA when it takes any counter-drone action (https://apnews.com/article/el-paso-flights-airspace-drone-restrictions-laser-a9474193eb96500c14db54aa9003d2ce) inside U.S. airspace.


It was the second time in two weeks (https://apnews.com/article/faa-el-paso-texas-air-space-closed-1f774bdfd46f5986ff0e7003df709caa) that a laser was fired in the area. The last time it was CBP that used the weapon and nothing was hit. That incident occurred near Fort Bliss and prompted the FAA to shut down air traffic at El Paso airport and the surrounding area. This time, the closure was smaller and commercial flights were not affected.
https://apnews.com/article/military-laser-border-drone-texas-airport-55aaab7093f7d6dd174f909f3875001c

[Winehole23]

riposte, TSA?