US 5G rollout concerns cause travel disruption
The FAA warned that C-Band 5G towers near airports could interfere with aircraft altimeters
Several international airlines have announced schedule alterations and cancellations for US flights ahead of the country’s scheduled 19 January 5G rollout, due to concerns about potential interference to radio altimeters from C-band 5G telecommunications towers near airports.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had previously warned that 5G signals could potentially affect height readings on some aircraft – vital in the event of low visibility. The offending towers reportedly use similar frequencies to altimeters approved for use in US airspace.
International flights have been disrupted and aircraft switched
Emirates, the world’s largest operator of Boeing 777s, has announced that it will suspend flights to nine US destinations from 19 January – however flights to New York’s JFK airport, Washington DC and Los Angeles will continue as planned.
All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines have both said that they will restrict usage of Boeing 777 flights. Korean Air Lines has confirmed that it has switched from 777s to 747-8s on six US passenger and cargo flights.
Lufthansa has said that it has cancelled a flight from Frankfurt to Miami, and will be switching aircraft used for some US flights from the Boeing 747-8 to the 747-400, while subsidiary Austrian Airlines said it would also switch from a 777 to a 767 for its service to Newark.
British Airways has cancelled some flights from London Heathrow to Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. Taiwan’s China Airlines has also said it will reschedule some flights and Cathay Pacific Airways has said it will deploy different aircraft types if needed.
Korean Air Lines (003490.KS) said it had switched away from 777s and 747-8s on six U.S. passenger and cargo flights, Taiwan's China Airlines said it would reschedule some flights and Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways said it would deploy different aircraft types if needed.
Air India, which operates flights to four US destinations using Boeing 777s, said those flights would be curtailed or face changes in aircraft type, while Singapore Airlines said it has changed the aircraft operated on select US routes.
Focus on the 777 follows a notice from Boeing
The airlines reportedly said that they were acting in response to a notice from Boeing that 5G signals may interfere with altimeters on the 777, according to Reuters. The Boeing 777 was the second most used widebody plane for flights to and from US airports in 2021, with around 210,000 flights recorded by FlightRadar24.
However, Reuters said that industry sources had also told it that while ‘Boeing had issued technical advisories noting potential interference … flight restrictions were in the hands of the FAA, which has for now limited operations at key airports unless airlines qualify for special approvals.’
The decisions by airlines to alter schedules and switch aircraft come despite an announcement by AT&T and Verizon that they would pause the 5G rollout near airports on Tuesday. The concession by the two telecoms firms came after airline executives wrote to the White House on Monday 17 January, asking it to intervene in the rollout, warning of potentially ‘catastrophic’ effects if the rollout went ahead.