FAA orders brief grounding of flights at Albuquerque airport

Officials at Albuquerque's international airport say planes are once again coming and going after federal aviation officials ordered a brief restriction on all flights.

The order came as neighboring Kirtland Air Force Base had an area surrounding one of its access gates cordoned off due to reports of a suspicious vehicle and person.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Lynn Lunsford says traffic at the airport was briefly held due to the activity at the base. He says things are now returning to normal.

By Friday evening, base security determined there was no threat so the security precautions were lifted.

Several buildings near the air base's contractor gate and a nearby elementary school had evacuated as a precaution.

It marked the second day of heighten security at the base. A lockdown at Kirtland on Thursday turned out to be triggered by the sound of bubble wrap popping that was mistaken for gunfire.