International Airlines Cancel Flights To The US Amid 5G Scare

Charlie Immigration updates 20 January 2022 | Updated On January 21, 2022 | 0

Major airlines across the world are rushing to cancel or change flights heading into the United States over an ongoing dispute about the rollout of 5G mobile technology near American airports.

Aviation industry executives said there would be some disruption in air traffic to the US due to this 5G deployment until the issue is resolved.

On 19 January, Emirates, British Airways, Air India, All Nippon Airways, Japan Airways, and Lufthansa suspended flights to US destinations.

International carriers that rely heavily on the wide-body Boeing 777, and other Boeing aircraft, cancelled early flights or switched to different planes following warnings from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Chicago-based planemaker.

Airlines that fly only or mostly Airbus jets seemed less affected by the new 5G service.

If you’re concerned if your flight will be delayed or cancelled, you can always check the latest flight status updates on FlightAware.com

5G Interference

Similar mobile networks have been deployed in more than three dozen countries, but there are key differences in how the US networks are designed that raised concerns of potential problems for airlines.

Part of the problem, according to the FAA, is the signal strength of the 5G towers.

It has been reported that 5G signals could interfere with radio altimeters. Altimeters measure how high a plane is in the sky, a crucial piece of equipment for flying, particularly at night or in bad weather.

The FAA will allow planes with accurate, reliable altimeters to operate around high-power 5G. But planes with older altimeters will not be allowed to make landings under low-visibility conditions.

The US Federal Communication Commission's chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement that the 5G “deployment can safely co-exist with aviation technologies in the United States, just as it does in other countries around the world.” However, she added: “It is essential that the FAA now complete this process with both care and speed.”

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency said it wasn't aware of any problems on the continent caused by 5G interference.

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