5G could spell trouble for airlines in the US, here’s why – Times of India

As the deadline for implementing the 5G network nears, US airlines are preparing for potential flight delays. The US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg cautioned that aeroplanes without updated radio altimeters to address potential 5G C-Band interference might experience delays and cancellations starting July 1.
“There’s a real risk of delays or cancellations,” Buttigieg said, per The Washington Journal. “This represents one of the biggest—probably the biggest—foreseeable problems affecting performance this summer.”
Aviation safety officials have warned that certain 5G signals may confuse devices that rely on radio waves to measure the distance between planes and the ground. These readings are frequently used for landing in adverse weather conditions. However, wireless companies have disputed this claim.
The problem was particularly urgent in early 2020 when some international flights were cancelled due to airlines rushing to prepare for anticipated restrictions from the Federal Aviation Administration if wireless providers began broadcasting the new signals to their customers. Eventually, a last-minute agreement was reached between AT&T and Verizon.
What is the issue between 5G and airlines?
Two US government agencies clashed over using a frequency band previously used for satellite TV. The FCC auctioned off the rights to use this band for 5G technology to mobile carriers, with Verizon and AT&T spending $68 million to acquire the rights jointly. However, the FAA raised concerns that the 5G C-band spectrum could interfere with radio altimeters used on aeroplanes to determine altitude during final approach and landing.
These concerns had been voiced since 2015 but were not directly communicated to the FCC until later. After a series of proposed delays and compromises, a deal was reached that imposed temporary 5G C-band restrictions at approximately 50 major airports and required airlines to update older aircraft’s radio altimeters by July 1, 2023.
The warning comes right before AT&T, Verizon, and other US carriers are allowed to increase the strength of their 5G signals starting on July 1.
According to Buttigieg, over 80% of the US domestic fleet serving airports has undergone retrofitting, but there are still a considerable number of aircraft awaiting retrofit, especially those operated by foreign carriers.
What it means for travellers
American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Frontier Airlines have retrofitted all their planes and don’t anticipate any issues. However, JetBlue and Delta have admitted that only some of their planes have been updated. Delta Air Lines has reported that nearly 190 of its more than 900 aircraft are yet to receive updated radio altimeters.
At the same time, some airlines have informed the government of supply chain problems, which have made it challenging to obtain equipment to retrofit planes.
To reduce the likelihood of delays, international airlines are said to use compliant aircraft for international flights to the US whenever possible. For domestic flights, non-compliant aircraft are used, when feasible, for airports less vulnerable to adverse weather conditions.