The FAA prohibited flights over a small area near the US-Mexico border due to drone activity linked to drug cartels, causing speculation about air safety.
In a surprising move, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed a ban on commercial and civil flights below 18,000 feet between El Paso, Texas, and Santa Teresa, New Mexico, a narrow corridor along the U.S.-Mexico border, for several hours. This decision sparked considerable speculation and rumors about the safety of air travel in that region. Shortly thereafter, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced on social media platform X that both the FAA and the Department of Defense had neutralized Mexican cartel drones that had violated U.S. airspace, thus alleviating the threat to commercial air traffic. Attorney General Pam Bondi reiterated this information during a hearing in the House of Representatives.
