First, COVID sick calls, now 5G rollout: Travelers face more flight cancellations
Airlines for weeks have warned of looming travel trouble due to Wednesday’s 5G network rollout, predicting flight chaos in the US and the stranding of Americans overseas as planes were grounded over safety concerns.
The industry got a reprieve on Tuesday when ATT and Verizon agreed to delay the rollout of 5G within two miles of airports. But that doesn’t mean travelers are off the hook.
Several international airlines said they still plan to suspend some flights to the U.S. beginning Wednesday due to 5G deployment. The industry’s concern: The frequency could interfere with airplane systems that measure altitude.
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Air India announced on Twitter that it would cease flights to John F. Kennedy International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.
Airlines with certain Boeing jets need to take 5G precautions
Overall, Wednesday flight cancellations are minimal, with just 88 flights to, from and within the U.S. canceled as of 4:30 p.m. ET, according to FlightAware.
Are US airlines canceling flights due to the 5G rollout?
No U.S. airlines have announced any 5G related flight cancellations, but the topic is on some travelers’ minds.
In response to a Southwest Airlines tweet about a spring fare sale, someone posted this reply: “What about the whole 5G Wednesday thingy?”
The airline offered a generic reply: Check your flight status.
InsureMyTrip, a shopping site for travel insurance, said its customer service center has fielded calls from travelers wondering about coverage for 5G flight cancellations or delays.
required to provide refunds, not just travel credits, if they cancel a flight.
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Contributing: Eve Chen