The presidents of 10 American airlines issued an alert on Monday to the authorities to warn of the potential “chaos” that would represent the activation of ultra-fast 5G network technology in the vicinity of airports, in a letter obtained by AFP.
“We are writing to urgently request that 5G be implemented starting January 19 at any location except 2 miles (about 3.2 km) from airport runways as defined by the FAA,” a federal aviation authority said. the letter, also signed by cargo giants FedEx and UPS.
“Immediate intervention is needed to avoid major operational disruption to passengers, carriers, supply chains and the delivery of essential medical supplies,” the airlines said two days before the 5G network went live.
US airlines and cargo companies are concerned about the consequences of the new network on planes due to possible conflicts in control instruments.
“On a day like yesterday (Sunday), more than 1,100 flights and 100,000 passengers would be subject to cancellations, detours and delays,” fear the presidents of these companies, including American Airlines, Delta or Southwest.
“Considering the short time left and the importance of this completely avoidable economic calamity, we respectfully ask that all necessary steps be taken to have 5G deployed, except when the towers are very close to airport runways,” urge the United States government. , the FAA and the telecommunications agency, the FCC.
The airlines advocate a pause “until the FAA can determine how this deployment can be accomplished safely and without catastrophic disruption.”
At the beginning of January, the airlines obtained a new deadline, until this Wednesday, for the activation of these new band frequencies.
Concerned about potential interference issues with aircraft altitude measuring devices, the FAA has issued new guidelines that limit the use of these flight mechanisms in some situations.
US airlines protested the potential costs of such a decision, urging authorities to quickly find a solution.
In December, manufacturers Airbus and Boeing also expressed “concern” about possible conflicts in the instrumentation of their devices by 5G, in a letter to the US Department of Transportation.
Source: with agencies