Photo: Shutterstock The civil aviation in the United States woke up on February 11 to a very confusing morning. About 12 hours after a disturbing and alarming announcement by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that part of US airspace had been closed, along with a NOTAM message issued without explanation, the organization announced, "The closure is over."
According to the FAA statement, "The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal."
The association originally announced the closure of the El Paso airport in Texas due to maintaining "national security protection space," and announced that the closure would last ten days.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy went on X to offer a brief explanation, later reposted by the FAA: "The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. The restrictions have been lifted and normal flights are resuming."
El Paso Airport. Photo: ShutterstockThe original and disturbing announcement, which received particularly big headlines in the United States, also included an explicit threat to those who violated the closure of the skies: "Pilots who do not comply with the instructions may be intercepted, detained and questioned by law enforcement and security officials," it said before the directive was revoked.