The 10 biggest airlines in the US have warned of catastrophic flight disruptions that could occur due to technology interference and that “trade from the land will grind to a halt and cause economic calamity’ if Verizon and AT&T deploy more segments of their new 5G mobile internet technology on Wednesday. 

The airlines executives urged the administration of President Joe Biden, to prohibit 5G wireless transmissions near certain airports, warning of an aviation-industry meltdown.

In a January 17, letter to the US Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg and other top United States federal officials, the airlines said that Verizon and AT&T’s plan could contribute to the disruptions in the global shipping network that have fueled inflation.

The letter asked the government to prohibit 5G transmissions within 2 miles (3.2km) of runways at affected airports. High-speed 5G internet uses  C-band frequencies close to those used by aircraft to measure their altitude. The airlines say the technology can interfere with the instruments and create a serious safety hazards.  The airlines warned the new C-Band 5G service set to begin on Wednesday could render a significant number of wide-body aircraft unusable, “could potentially strand tens of thousands of Americans overseas” and cause “chaos” for US flights.

The chief executives of American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, UPS Airlines, Alaska Air, Atlas Air, JetBlue Airways and FedEx Express and others, said: “Unless our major hubs are cleared to fly, the vast majority of the travelling and shipping public will essentially be grounded. To be blunt, the nation’s commerce will grind to a halt.”

Source: The Sun