The FAA said the Notice to Airmen is applicable from 1:30 AM ET on February 11 through the same time on February 21.
- FAA’s restrictions are applicable in the El Paso region in Texas, as well as parts of Santa Teresa in New Mexico.
- The El Paso International Airport confirmed the halt and advised travelers to contact their respective airlines for up-to-date flight status information.
- According to the FAA NOTAM and confirmation from El Paso International Airport, all commercial, cargo, and general aviation flights to and from the El Paso airport are affected by the security halt.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Wednesday announced that all flights to and from the El Paso International Airport in Texas have been halted for 10 days.
In a notification issued early Wednesday, the FAA said the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) is applicable from February 11, starting at 1:30 AM ET and ending at the same time on February 21. The restrictions apply in the El Paso region of Texas and parts of Santa Teresa, New Mexico.
“No pilots may operate an aircraft in the areas covered by this NOTAM,” the FAA notice stated, while adding that the NOTAM was issued for “special security reasons.”
The El Paso International Airport confirmed the halt in a separate notice on its Instagram account. “All flights to and from El Paso are grounded, including commercial, cargo, and general aviation,” the airport said, advising travelers to contact their respective airlines for up-to-date flight status information.
Which Airlines Are Affected?
According to the FAA NOTAM and confirmation from El Paso International Airport, all airlines with flights to and from the airport are affected by the security halt.
According to FlightConnections, 1,299 flights are scheduled to arrive at the El Paso airport in February, translating to about 46 flights per day, or two per hour.
Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines offer flights to El Paso.
FAA Warns Of Using Deadly Force Against Violating Aircraft
In the NOTAM text accompanying the halt notice, the FAA warned that “deadly force” could be used against the violating aircraft in case it is determined that the aircraft poses an “imminent security threat.”
“The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) classifies the airspace defined in this NOTAM as 'NTL Defense Airspace'. Pilots who do not adhere to the following proc may be intercepted, detained, and interviewed by law enforcement/security personnel,” the government agency said.
Texas State Representative Vincent Perez said he was unaware of the FAA halt at the El Paso airport, according to a report by The New York Times.
”I have never heard of an American airspace being shut down for 10 days, absent a major emergency,” he said, according to the report.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Global Jets ETF (JETS) was down 0.08% in Wednesday’s pre-market trade, while the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY), which tracks the S&P 500 index, edged lower by 0.02%. Retail sentiment on Stocktwits around the JETS ETF was in the ‘bullish’ territory at the time of writing.
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