Worried about 5G in the US, airlines try to reorganize flights

Major international airlines rushed on Tuesday to reorganize or cancel flights to the United States on the eve of a 5G rollout that has raised security concerns, despite two mobile carriers saying they will delay parts of the rollout. .

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has warned that possible interference from 5G could affect height readings that play a key role in bad weather landings on some jets and airlines say the Boeing 777 is among the models most directly on board. emphasis.

Despite an announcement by AT&T and Verizon that they would delay activating some 5G towers near airports, several airlines still canceled flights. Others said more cancellations are likely unless the FAA issues new formal guidance after the wireless announcements.

The world’s largest Boeing 777 operator, Emirates of Dubai, said it would suspend flights to nine destinations in the United States from January 19, the scheduled date for rolling out 5G wireless services.

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

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

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

The airlines said they were acting in response to a warning from Boeing that 5G signals could interfere with the 777’s radio altimeter, leading to restrictions.

A Boeing spokesman had no immediate comment.

Industry sources said Boeing issued technical advisories noting possible interference, but that flight restrictions were in the hands of the FAA, which for now limits operations at major airports unless airlines qualify for special approvals.

Radio altimeters provide accurate readings of height above the ground on approach and assist with automated landings, as well as verifying that the jet has landed before allowing reverse thrust.

Air India, which serves four US destinations with Boeing 777s, said those flights will be reduced or face changes in aircraft type starting Wednesday.

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The announcement of cancellations came despite mobile operators delaying the activation of some 5G towers near major airports.

Airline industry sources said the decision came too late to affect complex aircraft and crew decisions for some Wednesday flights.

British Airways has opted to switch aircraft on some flights to Los Angeles for an Airbus A380 of the usual Boeing 777 service, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

This involves pre-positioning a flight crew in Los Angeles to fly the Airbus superjumbo back to London on the way back.

Flightradar24 web tracker said the A350 can also be used. The radio altimeters on the two Airbus jets were released while the plane maker is still evaluating its other models.

The 777 mini-jumbo is a workhorse of the long-haul travel market that remains depressed in the wake of COVID-19, while its freighter equivalent has revamped aviation’s route map during the pandemic, according to a spokesperson for the 777. Flightradar 24.

Not all 777s are affected. Emirates, which is also a heavy user of the larger A380, will switch to the larger aircraft for Los Angeles and New York, but will continue to fly the 777 to Washington, which is unaffected.

Qatar Airways, which operates Boeing 777s and A350s to the United States, said it was assessing the situation.

President Joe Biden praised the agreement with wireless operators, saying it would allow more than 90% of the wireless tower deployment to take place as scheduled. He said they would work to “achieve a permanent and viable solution around these important airports”.