Flight Disruptions Ease Despite Concerns Over 5G Signals Following Turbulent Period
After enduring tens of thousands of weather-related flight delays throughout the week, airline passengers received some relief from the headaches on Saturday, even as concerns lingered about potential disruptions caused by the deployment of new wireless 5G systems near major airports. According to data from tracking service FlightAware, the number of flight delays and cancellations declined compared to earlier in the week. As of 10 p.m. EST, there were approximately 850 flight cancellations and over 28,000 delayed flights on Saturday. During the period from June 28 to 30, an average of 1,751 flights were canceled and more than 32,600 flights were delayed. The cancellation rate stood at around 1% in the U.S. as of Saturday afternoon, as reported by Flightradar24. A spokesperson for Flightradar24 described the conditions on Saturday as “smooth sailing” but cautioned that inclement weather could still cause problems at East Coast airports later in the day.
While concerns were raised about potential interference from 5G signals on aircraft equipment, particularly devices used for low-visibility landings, the anticipated massive flight disruptions did not materialize. Last year, telecom companies agreed to limit the power of signals around busy airports, providing airlines with an additional year to upgrade their planes. The leader of the largest pilots’ union in the U.S. expressed confidence in handling the impact of 5G but criticized the grant of wireless licenses, deeming it an unnecessary risk to aviation. The Transportation Department, along with the Federal Aviation Administration, is closely monitoring weather conditions, wildfire smoke, and any 5G-related issues.
Most major U.S. airlines have made the necessary changes to adapt to 5G, ensuring their planes’ height-measuring devices, known as radio altimeters, are protected against interference. Delta Air Lines is the exception, with 190 planes still awaiting altimeter upgrades due to supply constraints. However, the airline does not anticipate canceling flights because of this issue and plans to carefully route the affected planes to mitigate any risks. Delta reported nine flight cancellations on Saturday, none of which were tied to 5G concerns. The airline’s Boeing jets and Delta Connection planes have already been retrofitted with upgraded altimeters. JetBlue, on the other hand, has not provided a comment but stated it expects to retrofit 17 smaller Airbus jets by October, with a potential “limited impact” on some days in Boston. Wireless carriers using the C-Band spectrum for their 5G service, such as Verizon and AT&T, have been granted licenses by the Federal Communications Commission, which dismissed the risk of interference, citing a sufficient buffer between C-Band and altimeter frequencies. After negotiations brokered by the Biden administration, the wireless carriers agreed to postpone powering up 5G signals near approximately 50 busy airports. This postponement ends on Saturday.
