U.S. airlines indicated that the deployment of new 5G C-band services generated a «minor impact» on airline operations.
The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) speed to approve different aircraft models meant that 62% of U.S. commercial aircraft were able to make low-visibility landings in 5G coverage zones, up from 45% previously.
See also: FAA establishes 5G exclusion zones at 50 U.S. airports
Several airlines had canceled flights or changed equipment for their U.S.-bound operations due to the possible interference between the 5G service’s C-band signal and certain onboard aircraft systems.
As reported by David Shepardson of Reuters, thanks to the FAA’s quick authorization for the use of three radio altimeter models, which were added to two others previously approved, the impact on operations was «minor»: American Airlines «reported only a few delays and four cancellations». United Airlines, for its part, indicated that it anticipated «few disruptions at only a few airports» due to the restrictions imposed by the 5G service.
See also: FAA warns 787 operators that 5G could lead to landing problems
Southwest, however, said that «due to the current favorable weather conditions we anticipate very minimal impact to our operation.» Nevertheless, a company spokesperson warned that «flights at some airports may continue to be impacted.»
