Flights grounded in El Paso, Texas as FAA issues 10-day flight restriction

All flights to and from El Paso, Texas, have been grounded after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a sudden flight restriction for the region citing “Special Security Reasons.” It is currently unclear why the order was issued.

The restriction went into effect at 11:30 p.m. MST on Tuesday and is scheduled to remain in place until February 20. The order applies to all commercial, cargo, and general aviation at El Paso International Airport.

The FAA notice cited “Special Security Reasons” for the temporary flight restrictions, which cover a 10-mile radius.

The notice appeared to be unplanned, and flight tracker data showed aircraft beginning to divert to other airports shortly after the alert was issued.

“Travelers should contact their airlines to get most up-to-date flight status information,” the airport said in a travel advisory.

El Paso is a major border city in West Texas with a population of more than 670,000 people. It sits directly on the U.S.-Mexico border across from Ciudad Juarez and is home to Fort Bliss, one of the largest U.S. Army installations in the country.

The restricted area also neighbors the White Sands Missile Range, a massive military testing site in southern New Mexico.