US Transport Minister Warns Of Potential Aircraft Delay Due To C-Band 5G Disruption

US Transport Minister Pete Buttigieg (photo: twitter @SecretaryPete)

JAKARTA - US Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg warned on Friday 23 June that there is a potential delay starting July 1 for aircraft that have not yet updated its radio altimeter to address the potential for C-Band 5G interference and encourage them to adjust schedules if needed.

Although more than 80% of domestic fleets serving airports in the US have been updated, Buttigieg wrote in a letter to Airlines for America (A4A) that "we continue to see the number of aircraft still waiting for significant retrofitting, including many operated by foreign airlines. This means especially on bad weather days and low visibility, there could be increased delays and cancellations."

The concern that 5G services could disrupt aircraft altimeters, which provide data on aircraft altitudes above ground and is essential for landings in bad weather, has caused brief disruptions at several US airports last year when international airlines canceled several flights.

The A4A, which represents a major US airline, said airlines were working to update the altimeter, "but the global supply chain continues to lag behind current demand... A4A airline members believe in their ability to maintain the integrity of their schedule, despite the upcoming deadline."

International airlines have repeatedly warned about the time limit.

Last year, Verizon and AT&T voluntarily agreed to delay the use of certain C-Band 5Gs until July when airlines worked for backscatter aircraft.

Buttigieg is pushing airlines that will fly without updated equipment "to immediately adjust your schedule proactively.... Airlines should consider how many of their aircraft still need to be retrofited when setting and adjusting schedules to avoid causing consumers to rely on unrealistic schedules that harm them."

Delta Air Lines said last Friday that its suppliers informed airlines it would not have enough radio altimeters for the entire Delta fleet by July 1.

About 190 Delta narrowbody aircraft are not equipped with updated radio altimeters, including all A220, mostly A319 and A320, and some A321. "All Delta widebody aircraft will be equipped with updated radio altimeters before July 1," the airline said.

Reuters first reported in March that major US wireless carriers agreed to take some voluntary action to address flight safety concerns. Agreement with AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile US, and UScellular, after various negotiations with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), allowed wireless carriers to increase power levels to be able to fully use C-Band on July 1.

Buttigieg added on Friday, "passengers should not be victims of the airline's inability to complete enough aircraft to be able to operate safely within C-Band 5G."

In a bid to address this issue, several measures have been taken to ensure smooth flight operations and passenger safety. Nonetheless, the slowing global supply challenges and the number of unrenewable aircraft are still a major concern.

In his letter to Airlines for America, Buttigieg encouraged airlines to proactively adjust their flight schedules to avoid unnecessary disruption to passengers. He also asked airlines to consider the number of aircraft that still need to be updated when setting and scheduled, to avoid passenger dependence on unrealistic schedules.