FAA Suddenly Closes, Then Reopens El Paso Airspace

"Initially, the closures came down with no explanation, prompting rampant online speculation with people theorizing whether the restrictions were due to military actions involving Mexican cartels or even nuclear testing. But soon conflicting reports emerged. The Associated Press and NBC News reported that the closures were due to Mexican cartel drones entering U.S. airspace with the military acting to disable the devices, citing a Trump administration official."

"However, a source told the Texas Tribune that the FAA closure was the result of an ongoing conflict between the agency and the Department of Defense which is utilizing unmanned drones "against drug cartel operations." "It has to do with the FAA's inability to predict where [unmanned aircraft systems] might be flying," an official told the Tribune. "They have been operating outside the normal flight paths.""

"Early Wednesday morning, the Federal Aviation Administration suddenly announced that it was shutting down the airspace surrounding El Paso, Texas, barring flights in and out of the region over the next ten days in an unprecedented and unexpected action. No immediate explanation was given for the sudden closure, sparking questions and concerns both locally and nationwide. But just hours later, the agency reversed the restrictions."

Early Wednesday the Federal Aviation Administration announced a shutdown of airspace surrounding El Paso, Texas, barring flights for the next ten days. No immediate explanation accompanied the closure, and the agency reversed the restrictions just hours later, saying the temporary closure had been lifted and there was no threat to commercial aviation. The Associated Press and NBC News reported Mexican cartel drones entered U.S. airspace and that the military acted to disable the devices. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the threat was neutralized. A source told the Texas Tribune the closure reflected a conflict between the FAA and the Department of Defense over unmanned drone operations. The FAA initially advised pilots of temporary flight restrictions over El Paso and neighboring Santa Teresa, New Mexico.

Read at Intelligencer