# El Paso Airport closed for 10 days for "security reasons" (reopened on February 11, 2026) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 11, 2026, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons-reopened-on-february-11-2026/1027575 "2026-02-11T10:18:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons-reopened-on-february-11-2026/1027575/61 "2026-02-11T19:15:23Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I think it was done to test the waters, to see if anyone in authority would actually step up to say “Uhhh…no!”…and it worked. The government now knows that it can be done at the drop of a hat, and I am predicting that it will happen again. I think you are giving those involved way too much credit. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons-reopened-on-february-11-2026/1027575/62 "2026-02-11T19:37:31Z")
CBS News and CNN have both now reported that a breakdown in coordination between the U.S. military and the FAA over the employment of a counter-drone system armed with a **laser directed energy weapon** contributed to the imposition of the flight restrictions around El Paso. > **[Claims Swirl Around Government's Response To Cartel Drone Threat That...](https://www.twz.com/news-features/cartel-drones-triggered-airspace-clampdown-major-government-response-around-el-paso)** > > The shutdown of airspace over El Paso highlights the still vexing nature of drone threats over the United States. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons-reopened-on-february-11-2026/1027575/63 "2026-02-11T19:47:56Z")
OSINTdefender on X: “Earlier this week, the same high-energy laser technology was utilized near the Southern Border to shoot down what appeared to be foreign drones. However, the flying material turned out to be party balloons, with one ballon being shot down, sources told CBS News.” / X ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons-reopened-on-february-11-2026/1027575/64 "2026-02-11T19:48:26Z")
Were the balloons, by any chance, red? ---
**Author:** ![Pazu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pazu/32/15522_2.png) [@Pazu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pazu)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons-reopened-on-february-11-2026/1027575/65 "2026-02-11T19:51:45Z")
And were there only 98 left after the shot? ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons-reopened-on-february-11-2026/1027575/66 "2026-02-11T19:52:24Z")
More blame, under-bus throwing. So why is the FAA claiming to close the air space without telling the DoD which was going to do testing/real action. How can you NOT TELL SOMEONE about something THE SOMEONE IS DOING??? [![](https://images.spot.im/image/upload/v200/897bcc22-9ae2-46f7-a4b2-9c7c6ea19c60) ](https://images.spot.im/image/upload/v200/897bcc22-9ae2-46f7-a4b2-9c7c6ea19c60) ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons-reopened-on-february-11-2026/1027575/67 "2026-02-11T19:53:25Z")
Bryan, meet The Bus, The Bus, meet Bryan… ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons-reopened-on-february-11-2026/1027575/68 "2026-02-11T20:02:10Z")
I remember a time when bureaucracies worked together fairly well. The rot spreading from the top didn’t take long to destroy the functional parts of the everyday operations of government. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons-reopened-on-february-11-2026/1027575/69 "2026-02-11T20:04:07Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > The rot spreading from the top didn’t take long to destroy the functional parts of the everyday operations of government. The Department of War WAR! WAR!!! is basically the school bully now, making those FAA nerds punch themselves in the face. “How dare you try to tell us how to use our Manly-Man LAZER!” ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons-reopened-on-february-11-2026/1027575/70 "2026-02-11T20:11:50Z")
And Bryan’s boss, Sean Duffy, lied like every Trump cabinet member about the entire affair. Was he informed if the White House wasn’t? If so, he should also meet the underside of the same bus. Lower costs, more efficiency. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons-reopened-on-february-11-2026/1027575/71 "2026-02-11T20:29:42Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > Were the balloons, by any chance, red? Or white, but from **Red** China? No wait, we’ve done that one already. ---
**Author:** ![Turki-lurki](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turki-lurki/32/7168_2.png) [@Turki-lurki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turki-lurki)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons-reopened-on-february-11-2026/1027575/72 "2026-02-11T20:37:45Z")
They are MAGA. Why would they exempt medical emergency flights? Dead civilians are nothing to be concerned with. MAGAts are immune to any form of legal liability since they serve the Orange God. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons-reopened-on-february-11-2026/1027575/73 "2026-02-11T20:41:54Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > Bryan, meet The Bus, The Bus, meet Bryan… The report that Bedford decided to close the airspace sounds more like someone tossing a match on the bridge as they ride out of town. Maybe he was tired of being ignored by the Pentagon and said fuck it. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons-reopened-on-february-11-2026/1027575/74 "2026-02-11T20:45:17Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > More blame, under-bus throwing. So why is the FAA claiming to close the air space without telling the DoD which was going to do testing/real action. How can you NOT TELL SOMEONE about something THE SOMEONE IS DOING??? > [https://images.spot.im/image/upload/v200/897bcc22-9ae2-46f7-a4b2-9c7c6ea19c60](https://images.spot.im/image/upload/v200/897bcc22-9ae2-46f7-a4b2-9c7c6ea19c60) I remember being in the Fort Bliss range control office. They had a map of the area from the beginning of the Fort Bliss training area to the end of White Sands that was superimposed over a map of the East Coast. The entire area was from Baltimore to Trenton. If there is anywhere that they can test new systems without having to shut down airports it’s there. If these drones exist I’m assuming they are like Amazon delivery drones. Which is actually a good idea if you are a drug trafficker. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons-reopened-on-february-11-2026/1027575/75 "2026-02-11T22:35:17Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > If these drones exist I’m assuming they are like Amazon delivery drones. Which is actually a good idea if you are a drug trafficker. Not when the Amazon delivery drones crash into apartment buildings & start to [burn](https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/amazon-prime-air-drone-crashes-texas-apartment-building)😮 ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons-reopened-on-february-11-2026/1027575/76 "2026-02-11T23:29:12Z")
“Bloody typical - they’ve gone back to metric without telling us.” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons-reopened-on-february-11-2026/1027575/77 "2026-02-11T23:34:36Z")
This sounds reminiscent of when Trump’s toadies did live fire exercises over Los Angeles, forcing the state to close freeways for safety. Which turned out to be the correct and necessary response. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2026, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons-reopened-on-february-11-2026/1027575/78 "2026-02-12T00:40:52Z")
Camp Pendleton, actually, in northern San Diego County, but I-5 was closed, wisely as it turned out as one of the rounds detonated early above the freeway. No, they couldn’t do their 250th birthday live fire exercise on an actual artillery RANGE, it _had_ to be over the freeway… ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2026, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons-reopened-on-february-11-2026/1027575/79 "2026-02-12T01:23:01Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > > [@Loach](#): > > > > If these drones exist I’m assuming they are like Amazon delivery drones. Which is actually a good idea if you are a drug trafficker. > > Not when the Amazon delivery drones crash into apartment buildings & start to [burn](https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/amazon-prime-air-drone-crashes-texas-apartment-building)😮 Shrinkage ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2026, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons-reopened-on-february-11-2026/1027575/80 "2026-02-12T02:00:22Z")
Eh, there’s plenty of footage on YouTube of FedEx trucks being ~~destroyed~~ pulverized by freight trains, catching fire, or otherwise failing at absolutely positively getting there at all, much less overnight. Randomly falling out of the sky or bouncing off buildings is just more of the same. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons-reopened-on-february-11-2026/1027575.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons-reopened-on-february-11-2026/1027575.md?page=5)