The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has closed the airspace surrounding the Texas border town of El Paso for 10 days.
Local authorities including the El Paso International Airport and City of El Paso government confirmed flights would not take off or land from Tuesday at 11:30pm (Wednesday 0630GMT) to February 20 at 11:30pm (February 21 at 0630GMT).
City Council member Chris Canales, who represents an area on the southwestern side of El Paso, told the BBC local authorities did not receive any advance notice or reason for the closure.
The FAA stated that the restrictions were for special security reasons.
Long-term airspace closures are rare; since 2018, the FAA has reduced airspace closures from an average of more than four hours per launch to just over two hours.
The restriction covers a 10-mile radius around El Paso, which includes parts of southern New Mexico, to the west of San Teresa.
Canales expressed concern over the sudden closure, stating, There are some folks who are panicking a bit because of how highly unusual this is, and if you look at El Paso on the map you can see what unique geographical position it is.
Mexico's Ciudad Juarez is situated just south and west of El Paso, while the US Army base Fort Bliss and White Sands Missile Range lie to the north. Fort Bliss is a military post focused on training, and the White Sands Missile Range is the country’s largest overland testing range for missiles and advanced weapons.
In a Facebook post, El Paso International Airport confirmed all flights were grounded, including commercial, cargo, and general aviation. Travelers have been advised to contact their airlines for the latest flight status information.
The BBC has sought comments from the FAA and the City of El Paso.
