Earlier Wednesday, the FAA had grounded all flights at El Paso International Airport through Feb. 20, citing special security reasons.
EL PASO, Texas — UPDATE
Air travel over El Paso can resume after a brief airspace closure Wednesday morning, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The FAA initially said the airspace restrictions over El Paso were due to “special security reasons.” In a social media post later Wednesday morning, the FAA said the closure was lifted and there was no threat to commercial aviation.
“All flights will resume as normal,” the FAA said in the post.
The flight restriction was originally scheduled to remain in place until Feb. 20, which would have been a 10-day shutdown.
It’s not immediately clear what specifically prompted the closure.
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ORIGINAL STORY
The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered a temporary halt to all flights into and out of El Paso International Airport, citing what it calls “special security reasons.”
The FAA restriction grounds all commercial, cargo and general aviation flights beginning Feb. 10 at 11:30 p.m. MST and lasting until Feb. 20 at 11:30 p.m. MST, according to El Paso International Airport.
In an advisory posted on social media, airport officials said travelers should contact their airlines directly for the most up-to-date flight status information.
Airport leaders said the flight restriction was issued on short notice and also applies to the neighboring community of Santa Teresa, New Mexico, along a stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border.
“El Paso International Airport staff has reached out to the FAA, and we are pending additional guidance,” the airport said in a statement.
The airport sits adjacent to Biggs Army Airfield and across the border from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. Officials say the airport typically operates about 53 departures per day through five major carriers.
The FAA has not provided additional details about the specific security concerns behind the restriction.