Note: This story is changing rapidly. Updates will be provided as they come in.
Travelers looking to fly out of El Paso, Texas, and New Orleans, Louisiana, are scrambling for alternatives after a dramatic move from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The agency announced on Wednesday that all flights to and from the El Paso International Airport will be grounded for “special security reasons” for the next 10 days.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) Wednesday morning entirely closing the airspace over the Western Texas city of El Paso for the next ten days, citing “special security reasons,” while classifying a large area over both El Paso and… pic.twitter.com/UIcwVo7PAy
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) February 11, 2026
“In New Orleans, a separate NOTAM was also issued early Wednesday morning for five separate areas with a radius of ‘three nautical miles,'” the Washington Examiner reported Wednesday morning.
“Travelers should contact their airlines to get the most up-to-date flight status information,” the El Paso airport said in a statement.
It is not clear exactly why this “unprecedented” action has taken place, but former FAA safety team member Kyle Bailey believes it is part of something big.
“It’s definitely something like a national security event, a high-level VIP, but the interesting thing is that on the Mexican side of the border, there is no flight restriction,” he told Fox News. “I think it’s safe to say that it’s something very big, either from a national security standpoint or perhaps testing something — equipment or something going into the air around the vicinity of those bases.”
Other theories are starting to pop up online in the absence of an official explanation:
BREAKING: A source briefed by FAA tells me the El Paso flight ban was driven by military operations from Biggs Army Air Field at Fort Bliss. The FAA acted after the Defense Department could not assure civilian flight safety. pic.twitter.com/r3Vdrmpday
— Pete Muntean (@petemuntean) February 11, 2026
The USA is about to invade Mexico to bomb the cartels
— Bingo (@ZoieNolan4) February 11, 2026
I see Southwest flights delayed until 0700
American has flights at 0900
I think it’s not a total halt or a mistake.
— Joe C. (@JCBForumSpeak) February 11, 2026
Today’s Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the next ten days over El Paso is reportedly due to counter-drone operations by the U.S. Armed Forces targeting the cartels in Mexico, utilizing experimental technologies from Biggs… pic.twitter.com/mcPSKiGGSP
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) February 11, 2026
Why did the FAA shutdown El Paso Airport for TEN DAYS with little warning?
A. Mexican cartels
B. Insider threat
C. It’s the aliens, stupidWe’ll have to wait and see! 👀 pic.twitter.com/0QGcgEFU9B
— Stacy Ann (@StacyAnnFlorida) February 11, 2026
UPDATE 9:15 AM
“The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal,” the FAA announced later Wednesday morning.
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Sierra Marlee is a millennial whose hunger for the truth in a world of fake news has led her to write. Marlee also contributes to BizPac Review.
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