Airlines in the US are bracing for potential flight delays as the deadline for the implementation of 5G technology approaches. US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Friday warned of possible delays and cancellations starting July 1 for airplanes that have not yet had radio altimeters updated to address potential 5G C-Band interference, Wall Street Journal reported.
His warning arrives just before AT&T, Verizon, and other carriers will be free to boost the power of their 5G signals on July 1.
Mr. Buttigieg said more than 80% of the domestic fleet serving U.S. airports has been retrofitted, but there is ''a significant number of aircraft still awaiting retrofit, including many operated by foreign air carriers.''
American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Frontier Airlines said they have retrofitted all their planes and do not expect problems.
However, several airlines, including JetBlue and Delta, have said that not all of their planes have been updated. According to ABC News, Delta Air Lines said, that of its fleet of more than 900 aircraft, around 190 do not yet have updated radio altimeters.
Meanwhile, several airlines have told the government they are having trouble getting equipment to retrofit planes because of supply-chain problems.
''Carriers have repeatedly communicated this reality to the government. Nevertheless, thanks to careful planning, A4A member carriers are confident in their ability to maintain the integrity of their schedules, despite the impending deadline,'' said Marli Collier, a spokeswoman for Airlines for America.
Notably, altimeters give a plane's height and are used in particular on low-visibility days. Only aircraft with retrofitted altimeters will be able to perform low-visibility landings, Mr Buttigieg said.
''This means on bad-weather, low-visibility days in particular, there could be increased delays and cancellations,'' the Transportation Department chief said.
Those airlines with aircraft that are not yet up to the newer standards will be forced to either avoid certain types of flights or be grounded.
Aviation officials had previously warned that 5G's "combination of power levels, frequencies, proximity to flight operations, and other factors" make landing dangerous in certain conditions.
Last year, concerns that 5G service could interfere with airplane altimeters, led to brief disruptions at some U.S. airports as international carriers canceled some flights.
