In less than 36 hours, when AT&T and Verizon are expected to launch a new 5G service, the CEOs of major US passenger and cargo carriers warned of an oncoming “catastrophic” aviation disaster.
The airlines have warned that the new C-Band 5G service, which is slated to launch on Wednesday, might render a large number of widebody aircraft inoperable, “could strand tens of thousands of Americans overseas,” and cause “chaos” for U.S. flights.
“The vast majority of the traveling and the shipping public will essentially be grounded unless our major hubs are cleared to fly,” wrote the CEOs of American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and other airlines in a letter seen by reporters.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a warning that possible interference could impair sensitive airplane instruments such as altimeters, causing severe delays in low-visibility flights.
“This means that on a day like yesterday, over 1,100 flights and 100,000 passengers will be canceled, diverted, or delayed,” the letter said.
Airlines were debating whether to start canceling some overseas flights due to arriving in the United States on Wednesday late Monday.
“The transportation industry is bracing for possible service disruptions as a result of the proposed limits at certain airports. We’re optimistic that we’ll be able to come up with solutions that safely offset as many schedule implications as feasible by working across businesses and with the government “Boeing, a jet manufacturer, announced on Monday.
UPS Airlines, Alaska Air, Atlas Air, JetBlue Airways, and FedEx Express signed the letter, which was also signed by UPS Airlines, Alaska Air, Atlas Air, JetBlue Airways, and FedEx Express. “To put it bluntly, the country’s commerce will come to a halt.”
The letter was addressed to Brian Deese, director of the White House National Economic Council, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, FAA Administrator Steve Dickson, and FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.
The organization that organized the letter, Airlines for America, declined to comment. According to the FAA, “As cellular providers roll out 5G will continue to ensure the safety of the traveling public. The FAA is continuing to work with the aviation sector and cellular companies to reduce aircraft delays and cancellations caused by 5G.”
Other government agencies remained silent.
‘THERE IS A NEED FOR INTERVENTION.’
On Jan. 3, AT&T and Verizon, which acquired nearly the entire C-Band spectrum in an $80 billion auction last year, agreed to buffer zones around 50 airports and other measures to prevent potential interference for six months. They also decided to postpone deployment for two weeks, until Wednesday, averting a potential aviation safety crisis. They had previously postponed service for 30 days.
On Monday, both Verizon and AT&T declined to comment. They claim that C-Band 5G has been successfully deployed in more than 40 countries with no difficulties with aviation interference.
Officials told reporters that the CEOs of major airlines, as well as Boeing Chief Executive Dave Calhoun, spoke with Buttigieg and Dickson on Sunday to warn them of the impending catastrophe.
Separately, United Airlines warned late Monday that the problem may affect over 15,000 of its flights, 1.25 million passengers, and 500,000 tons of cargo per year.
In large cities including Houston, Newark, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago, United faces “severe limits on 787s, 777s, 737s, and regional planes.”
The airlines request that “5G be introduced throughout the country, except within around 2 miles (3.2 km) of airport runways” at a few critical airports.
“Immediate response is required to avoid substantial operational disruptions for flight passengers, shippers, the supply chain, and the delivery of critical medical supplies,” they wrote.
Flight restrictions will not be confined to bad weather operations, according to the carriers.
“Multiple current aircraft safety systems will be ruled unsuitable, posing a far more serious danger than previously thought… Airplane manufacturers have told us that large sections of the operational fleet may need to be grounded indefinitely.”
One area of concern, according to airline officials, is whether some or all Boeing 777s, as well as some Boeing cargo flights, will be unable to land at some key U.S. airports once the 5G service is launched.
The airlines urged action to ensure that “5G is deployed except when towers are too close to airport runways until the FAA can determine how that can be safely accomplished without catastrophic disruption.”
The FAA announced on Sunday that it had approved low-visibility landings for an estimated 45 percent of the US commercial jet fleet at numerous airports where 5G C-band would be deployed, with more approvals expected before Wednesday. The airlines pointed out on Monday that the list omitted a number of major airports.
