Air India cancels some flights over 5G deployment in US. What we know so far

Air India tweeted on Tuesday: “Due to deployment of 5G communications in USA, our operations to USA from India stand curtailed/revised with change in aircraft type from January 19, 2022.”

“Due to deployment of the 5G communications in USA,we will not be able to operate the following flights of 19th Jan’22:

AI101/102 DEL/JFK/DEL, AI173/174 DEL/SFO/DEL, AI127/126 DEL/ORD/DEL

AI191/144 BOM/EWR/BOM Please standby for further updates, it said in an follow up tweet.

Apart from Air India, United Airlines and American Airlines are the other two carriers that operate flights between India and the US.

Implementation of 5G network:

The airlines group said that 5G should be implemented everywhere in the US except within two miles of airport runways of affected airports.

The FAA said Sunday it had approved some transponders to be safely operated within areas where 5G will be deployed, clearing “as many as 48 of the 88 airports most directly affected by 5G C-Band interference.”

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has warned that potential 5G interference could affect height readings that play a key role in bad-weather landings on some jets and airlines say the Boeing 777 is among models initially in the spotlight.

Radio altimeters give precise readings of the height above the ground on approach and help with automated landings, as well as verifying the jet has landed before allowing reverse thrust.

The world’s largest operator of the Boeing 777, Dubai’s Emirates, said it would suspend flights to nine U.S. destinations from Jan. 19, the planned date for the deployment of 5G wireless services.

Emirates flights to New York’s JFK, Los Angeles and Washington DC will continue to operate.

Japan’s two major airlines, All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines, said they would curtail Boeing 777 flights.

ANA said it was cancelling or changing the aircraft used on some U.S. flights. JAL said it would not use the 777 on U.S. mainland routes “until safety is confirmed,” according to a notice to passengers reported by airline publication Skift.