Airport Stands Still as Flights Halted
A social media post from El Paso International Airport confirmed the sweeping impact:
“All flights to and from El Paso are grounded, including commercial, cargo and general aviation. The FAA has issued a flight restriction halting all flights to and from El Paso effective from February 10 at 11:30 PM (MST) to February 20 at 11:30 PM (MST). Travelers should contact their airlines to get most up-to-date flight status information.”
The restriction covered a 10-mile radius around El Paso and applied to airspace from ground level up to nearly 18,000 feet. Aircraft were barred from entering unless granted specific authorization from federal officials. Nearby Mexican airspace was not affected.
The airport serves major carriers including Alaska Airlines; American Airlines and American Eagle; Delta Air Lines; Frontier Airlines; Southwest Airlines; and United Airlines and United Express.
On Feb. 11 alone, 43 departures were scheduled, potentially affecting more than 5,900 passengers, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Southwest accounted for 19 of those flights, followed by American with 12. Most, if not all, were likely canceled.
United and Southwest issued travel waivers, offering passengers flexibility to rebook.
