The chief executive officers (CEOs) of some of the United States’ largest airlines have raised the alarm on a potential “catastrophic disruption” in the aviation industry if telecoms companies launch 5G services on Wednesday.
In a letter sent to senior officials in the Biden administration on Monday, they warned that thousands of aircraft could be grounded, causing commerce to “grind to a halt” with Americans stranded overseas if 5G is switched on near airport runways.
The airlines urged US officials to delay deployment of the service within two miles of affected airport runways.
AT&T and Verizon have already twice delayed the launch of their new C-Band 5G service due to warnings from airlines and aeroplane manufacturers concerned that the new system might interfere with their ability to gauge altitude
“We are writing with urgency to request that 5G be implemented everywhere in the country except within the approximate two miles of airport runways as defined by the FAA on January 19, 2022,” the letter reads.
The letter was signed by the chief executives of American Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, FedEx Express, UPS Airlines, amongst others.
It was addressed to Brian Deese, director of national economic council; Jessica Rosenworcel, chairwoman, Federal Communications Commission; Pete Buttigieg, transportation secretary and Steve Dickson, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) administrator.
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