Confusion reigns after flight restrictions imposed in El Paso, but what happened?

The sudden and surprising closure of airspace over El Paso, Texas this week snarled airport operations and led to questions over what led to the confusion.

The FAA imposed a temporary flight restriction, or a TFR, in a 10-mile ring around El Paso International Airport on Tuesday. That TFR impacted operations both at the airport and at Fort Bliss, one of the U.S. Army’s largest bases.

While the order was lifted Wednesday morning, questions remain over what caused the issue to arise.

NBC News reports the restriction was tied to military testing near Fort Bliss — technology designed to counter drones, potentially including cartel-operated drones near the border. That testing reportedly involves high-energy laser systems.

The Federal Aviation Administration has lifted the airspace closure after saying it was grounding flights to and from El Paso International Airport for ten days.

But sources have also told NBC News there may have been miscommunication – or even a disagreement — between the Defense Department and the FAA about whether that testing could interfere with civilian air traffic.

With that potential miscommunication, the TFR was issued to get it sorted out, but it had significant impacts at the international airport, with passengers showing up to grounded flights and a total of 14 flights being canceled, officials said.

City leaders in El Paso say they were blindsided — and that the FAA needs to improve communication.

Chicago-area residents are no strangers to TFR’s, with one recently issued in Broadview when a restriction was put in place to keep drones away from federal law enforcement activity.