The Federal Aviation Administration imposed a rare 10-day closure of airspace over El Paso International Airport (ELP) and surrounding areas, halting all commercial, cargo, and general aviation flights from late Tuesday through Feb. 20, but reversed course only hours later and re-opened flights. The temporary flight restriction, citing “special security reasons” and designated as national defense airspace, covered a roughly 10-nautical-mile radius, including parts of southern New Mexico near Santa Teresa. It excluded Mexican airspace and high-altitude overflights above approximately 18,000 feet. The move, which took local officials and airport operators by surprise, immediately grounded operations at one of West Texas’s busiest gateways. El Paso International handled more than 4 million passengers and about 94,000 tons of cargo in 2024. While cargo volumes are modest compared to major hubs, the airport supports key regional shipments, including electronics components, medical supplies, perishables, and express packages for carriers like DHL, FedEx, and UPS. Air cargo disruptions and rerouting pressures The shutdown forced air cargo carriers to divert flights or shift to ground alternatives, increasing costs and extending transit times for time-sensitive freight. Shippers dependent on air links for just-in-time deliveries to maquiladoras in Ciudad Juárez may face delays in high-value or urgent goods. Airlines including Southwest, American, Delta, and United are rebooking passengers to distant alternatives such as Albuquerque or Dallas, creating knock-on effects for business travel that supports logistics planning in the region. Highways and border crossings remain open but face indirect risks Major highways through El Paso, including Interstate 10,…
