The Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) this week continued to work to educate the public and media about the planned roll out of 5G telecom services by AT&T and Verizon that airports and airlines have warned could cause disruptions to their low visibility approach capability.
Verizon and AT&T indicated this week they will go ahead with plans to begin to activate 5G service nationwide, except near airports and runways, due to worries that high tech radio signals could interfere with navigational systems on some aircraft.
This comes as carrier Emirates and other international carriers said they were canceling or rerouting flights to U.S. airports in response. Those safety concerns have led the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issue notices to airlines that would prohibit certain planes from landing at dozens of airports around the country during poor weather conditions.
“ACI-NA has long called for the Biden Administration to delay 5G implementation to ensure a seamless rollout that prevents widespread disruption in air travel,” the airports organization said in a statement this week, later adding in an informational news release, “Major international carriers are already cancelling flights and cargo shipments for fear that they won’t be able to safely land their aircraft at U.S. airports because of interference from 5G. Passengers and shippers can expect to see delays, diversions, and cancellations while these outstanding safety issues are resolved.”
The ACI-NA continued, “We are still trying to get information from the FAA regarding additional mitigation strategies that will be deployed at individual airports, but that information has not yet been provided. Based on currently available information we have, resolution of these 5G issues will be lengthy and gradual, taking place over weeks or months. In the meantime, passengers and shippers should expect delays and disruptions until these issues are fully resolved.”
