- FAA’s restrictions were applicable in the El Paso region in Texas, as well as parts of Santa Teresa in New Mexico.
- According to a Reuters report citing an unnamed U.S. official, Mexican cartel drones breached the airspace of the United States.
- Subsequently, the U.S. Department of Defense disabled the drones, after which the Pentagon and FAA determined there was no threat to commercial travel, the report added.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Wednesday abruptly lifted a halt on all flights to and from the El Paso International Airport in Texas, hours after notifying the restrictions for 10 days.
“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 agency said in a post on X.
However, the FAA did not explain what caused it to issue the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) that restricted airspace in the El Paso region of Texas and parts of Santa Teresa, New Mexico.
Mexican Cartel Drones Breach US Airspace, Says Report
According to a Reuters report citing an unnamed U.S. official, Mexican cartel drones breached the airspace of the United States.
Subsequently, the U.S. Department of Defense disabled the drones, after which the Pentagon and FAA determined there was no threat to commercial travel, the report added.
What Did FAA’s Previous Notice Say?
In a notification issued early Wednesday, the FAA said the NOTAM was applicable from 1:30 AM ET on February 11 through the same time on February 21.
“No pilots may operate an aircraft in the areas covered by this NOTAM,” the FAA notice stated, while adding that the NOTAM was issued for “special security reasons.”
The El Paso International Airport also confirmed the halt in a separate notice on its Instagram account. “All flights to and from El Paso are grounded, including commercial, cargo, and general aviation,” the airport said, advising travelers to contact their respective airlines for up-to-date flight status information.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Global Jets ETF (JETS) was up 0.57% in Wednesday’s opening trade, while the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY), which tracks the S&P 500 index, gained 0.45%. Retail sentiment on Stocktwits around the JETS ETF was in the ‘bullish’ territory at the time of writing.
Also See: Kalshi CEO Says Super Bowl Trading Volumes Soared 2,700% This Year, Crossing $1B: Report
For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.