Executives of major U.S. airlines and cargo shippers warned Monday of a "catastrophic disruption" of flights and shipping coming when new nationwide 5G service begins rolling out.
A new American Airlines plane with a new paint job sits at a gate at O'Hare Airport in Chicago, Illinois.
The images are from the same company.
The letter was signed by executives of leading airlines and shippers, including American, Delta, United,UPS and FedEx Express, through the group Airlines For America.
The letter asked that 5G C-Band service not be deployed within two miles of certain airport runways to avoid interference on the aviation industry, traveling public, supply chain, vaccine distribution, our workforce and broader economy.
The letter said that if immediate action isn't taken, the majority of the traveling and shipping public will essentially be grounded, stranding tens of thousands of people overseas.
The heads of the Federal Aviation Administration, the Federal Communications Commission, the National Economic Council Director, Pete Buttigieg, and the CEOs of AT&T and Verizon were copied in the letter.
The FAA said in a statement that 45% of US commercial flights were cleared to land at airports where 5G will be deployed.
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The nation's commerce will grind to a halt.
The number is big.
16 times. That is how fast 5G service is.
The key background.
The process of implementing 5G C-Band service has been a slow one because of concerns about the impact on the air industry. When flying at low altitudes and when there is rough weather, the accuracy of radio altimeters can be affected by 5G. On December 31, after being asked to delay their 5G implementation, the CEOs of both companies wrote a joint letter, saying that they were deeply committed to public safety and national security. The companies agreed to delay the start of 5G service and the FAA announced 50 airports that will have buffer zones where service will be minimal or notexistent when service is turned on.
Major U.S. airline CEOs are urging action to avoid catastrophic 5G flight disruptions.
Is it possible to fly to New York or L.A. next week? You could be delayed because of the FAA's release of 1,500 5G NotAMs.