Flight disruptions caused by 5G wireless signals might begin this weekend

On Saturday, wireless carriers are anticipated to turn on new 5G networks close to major airports, posing a fresh source of interruptions for airline customers who have already experienced tens of thousands of weather-related flight delays this week.

Since years, aviation organisations have warned that 5G signals may interfere with aircraft equipment, particularly with systems that use radio waves to calculate distance above the ground and are essential for landing in limited visibility.

When telecom operators started implementing the new service last year, predictions that interference would result in widespread flight cancellations failed to materialise.

After that, they decided to restrict the signal strength near congested airports, allowing airlines an additional year to update their aircraft.

The head of the biggest pilots union in the country predicted that crews will be able to manage the effects of 5G, but he questioned the process for awarding wireless licences, saying it had increased unneeded danger in the aviation industry.

Airlines may see delays due to a tiny fraction of the country’s fleet not being modernised to prevent radio interference, according to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

The majority of the big US airlines claim to be prepared. According to American, Southwest, Alaska, Frontier, and United, all of their aircraft feature radio altimeters, height-measuring equipment that is immune to 5G interference.

In a significant way, Delta Air Lines is an exception. According to Delta, 190 of its aircraft, including the majority of its smaller models, still do not have new altimeters since the supplier has not been able to provide them quickly enough.

According to Delta, the airline does not anticipate cancelling any flights as a result of the problem.

The airline intends to carefully route the 190 aircraft to reduce the possibility of cancelling flights or having to divert aircraft from airports where visibility is poor due to fog or low clouds.

All of Delta’s A220 aircraft, the majority of its A319 and A320 aircraft, and several of its A321 aircraft are among the Airbus aircraft that have not undergone retrofitting.

All Delta Connection aircraft, including those flown by Endeavour Air, Republic Airways, and SkyWest Airlines, as well as the company’s Boeing aircraft, have improved altimeters, according to the airline.

JetBlue declined to comment, but it did tell The Wall Street Journal that it planned to adapt 17 smaller Airbus planes by October, with a potential “limited impact” on select days in Boston.

For their new 5G service, wireless providers like Verizon and AT&T utilise the C-Band, a region of the radio spectrum that is near to the frequencies used by radio altimeters.

They received licences for the C-Band spectrum from the Federal Communications Commission, which disregarded any chance of interference since there was enough room between the C-Band and altimeter frequencies.

The telecom providers delayed the introduction of their new service after the Federal Aviation Administration raised concerns and took the side of the airlines.

The telecom providers subsequently agreed to refrain from activating 5G signals close to approximately 50 busiest airports as part of a settlement mediated by the Biden administration. This adjournment expires on Saturday.

AT&T opted not to respond. When asked about its intentions, Verizon did not react right away.

In a letter sent last week, Buttigieg reminded the leader of the industry association Airlines for America of the impending deadline and cautioned that only aircraft with modified altimeters would be permitted to land in low-visibility situations.

He said that although more than 80% of the US fleet had undergone retrofitting, many aircraft, including those flown by foreign carriers, had not.

This suggests that there may be more delays and cancellations, especially on days with poor visibility and heavy weather, Buttigieg noted.

He advised airlines to modify their itineraries in order to prevent leaving people stranded while their aircraft are being retrofitted.

Airlines claim that the FAA took too long to establish standards for modernising radio altimeters, and that supply-chain issues have made it difficult for manufacturers to create enough of the devices.

The leader of Airlines for America, Nicholas Calio, lamented the hurry to change aircraft “under pressure from the telecommunications companies.”

The FCC was charged with giving 5G licences without consulting aviation groups, according to Jason Ambrosi, a Delta pilot and head of the Air Line Pilots Association. He said this “has left the safest aviation system in the world at increased risk.”

On the other hand, he said, “Ultimately, we will be able to address the impacts of 5G.”