Airline executives implore feds to keep AT&T, Verizon’s 5G away from airports
The CEOs of the nation’s largest airlines and shipping carriers are asking for “immediate intervention” to block ATT and Verizon from launching part of their highly anticipated 5G network within two miles of airports.
At issue is 5G’s C-Band, which wireless carriers invested billions on last year. Rollout is supposed to begin Wednesday, but industry group Airlines for America says the frequency could interfere with devices that measure airplane altitude and impact safety.
“Airplane manufacturers have informed us that there are huge swaths of the operating fleet that may need to be indefinitely grounded,” Airlines for America wrote Monday in a letter signed by the CEOs of Delta, American, United, Southwest, FedEx, UPS and more, who serve on the group’s board.
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“The ripple effects across both passenger and cargo operations, our workforce and the broader economy are simply incalculable,” the letter continued. “Every one of the passenger and cargo carriers will be struggling to get people, shipments, planes and crews where they need to be. To be blunt, the nation’s commerce will grind to a halt.”
extra precautions when landing.pushed back two weeks at the request of FAA Administrator Stephen M. Dickson and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to avoid “unacceptable disruption” to aviation.
“With safety as its core mission, the FAA will continue to ensure that the traveling public is safe as wireless companies deploy 5G,” the FAA said in a statement. “The FAA continues to work with the aviation industry and wireless companies to try to limit 5G-related flight delays and cancellations.”
ATT and Verizon have stood by the safety of 5G.
While both carriers declined comment Monday, an ATT spokeswoman previously told AP, “We know aviation safety and 5G can co-exist and we are confident further collaboration and technical assessment will allay any issues.”
Contributing: Associated Press