Missing 5G Upgrade Deadline Could Impact US Airline Summer Flight Schedules

Aviation officials said that airlines in the United States would reportedly be unable to meet deadlines from the government to ensure aircraft are not resistant to 5G wireless interference.

According to Reuters.com, International Air Transport Association (IATA) Director General Willie Walsh sent a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg saying that many carriers would fail to retrofit the necessary airplane altimeters by the March and July deadlines.

Walsh revealed that airlines would struggle to meet the “retrofit deadline owing to supply chain issues, certification delays and unavoidable logistical challenges.” The letter was also reportedly sent to executives at the top airplane manufacturers, including Boeing and Airbus.

“It is critical that we acknowledge and accept that fact and move collectively to change our approach to this issue now, before many carriers are unable to continue to serve the U.S. market during the peak summer travel season,” Walsh continued.

Last month, the FAA proposed a requirement for all planes to add 5G C-Band-tolerant radio altimeters or approved filters by early 2024. The concern is that 5G service could interfere with the devices, which provide data about the plane’s height above the ground.

In November, FAA Administrator Billy Nolen and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) head Alan Davidson met to discuss possible aviation safety concerns.

While the FAA and NTIA declined to comment on the meeting, Nolen previously sent a letter to the Commerce Department’s telecommunications unit “seeking a delay in some 5G C-Band transmissions from smaller operators.”

Verizon Wireless and AT&T agreed in June to delay some of its rollout of 5G service near certain airports as airlines continued to express concern that the high-tech update would interfere with planes’ communication systems.