Air operations area—Responsibilities.
El Paso City Code § 14.16.021
in effect14.16.021 - Air operations area—Responsibilities.
A. All persons, including, but not limited to, certificated airline carriers, air cargo operators, fixed base operators, and others engaging in activities at the El Paso International Airport, having control by lease or otherwise, over areas within the air operations area or over areas which permit access to the air operations area, shall be responsible for the following:
1. Controlling access to the air operations area, including methods for preventing the entry of unauthorized persons and ground vehicles, through any area over which such person has control, except as provided in subsection B.1 of this section; and
2. Promptly detecting the intrusion or attempted intrusion of unauthorized persons and ground vehicles through controlled areas into the air operations area and promptly notifying airport operations of such intrusion or attempted intrusion.
B. Authorized persons—Responsibilities.
1. Any person who has authority to enter the air operations area and who permits an unauthorized person to accompany him or her shall be responsible for ensuring that such unauthorized person remains under escort by an authorized person at all times while in the air operations area.
2. Any person entering the air operations area shall ensure that any gate through which entry is gained is properly closed and secure after the entry and to notify airport security promptly if such gate does not close properly.
C. Penalty. Any person who willfully, recklessly or negligently fails to discharge the responsibilities set forth in subsection A or B of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be liable to a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars and each day such violation shall be permitted to exist shall constitute a separate offense and may lose access privileges temporarily or permanently.
D. TSA Violation—Responsibility. In any case in which the Transportation Security Administration assesses a civil penalty against the El Paso International Airport for a violation of Transportation Security Administration regulation Part 1540, Section 105, occurring on or through any area under the control of a person at the El Paso International Airport or as a result of a violation of subsection B.1 and B.2 of this section, the El Paso International Airport shall be reimbursed by the person whose act or failure to act caused the violation resulting in the civil penalty or by the person, as defined in Section 1.04.030(F) of this Code, whose employee, agent, servant or independent contractor caused the violation resulting in the civil penalty.
E. For the purpose of this section, the air operations area is defined as that part of the El Paso International Airport which is designed and used for landing, taking off or surface maneuvering of airplanes, including taxiways, runways, aprons and adjacent field areas.
(Ord. No. 19007, § 1, 12-17-2019)
Source: City of El Paso, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/el_paso/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT14AIAI_CH14.16AIUSRE_ARTIGERURE_14.16.021AIOPARESFetched: 10/28/2026