Major US air carriers warned on Wednesday that plans by AT&T and Verizon Communications to use spectrum for 5G wireless services could be highly disruptive to air travel and cost air passengers US$1.6 billion annually in delays.
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Trade group Airlines for America (A4A) said if a new Federal Aviation Administration directive for addressing potential interference from wireless transmissions had been in effect in 2019 "approximately 345,000 passenger flights, 32 million passengers, and 5,400 cargo flights would have been impacted in the form of delayed flights, diversions, or cancellations."
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said the 5G wireless issue "is the biggest and most damaging potential issue facing us. We want nothing more than to work to a solution." Southwest Airlines Chief Executive Gary Kelly said the FAA directive "would significantly impact our operations once it is deployed on Jan 5."
The wireless carriers are set to begin using the spectrum in just three weeks.
Last week, the FAA issued new airworthiness directives warning interference from 5G wireless spectrum could result in flight diversions.
