Airlines scramble to rejig schedules amid U.S. 5G rollout concerns

Emirates Airline Boeing 777-300ER planes are seen at Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, February 15, 2019. REUTERS/Christopher Pike/File Photo

Jan 19 (Reuters) – Major international airlines rushed to rejig or cancel flights to the United States ahead of a 5G wireless rollout on Wednesday that has triggered safety concerns, despite two wireless carriers saying they will delay parts of the deployment.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had warned that potential 5G interference could affect height readings that play a key role in bad-weather landings on some jets and airlines say the Boeing 777 is among models initially in the spotlight.

Despite an announcement by AT&T and Verizon that they would pause the 5G rollout near airports, several airlines still cancelled flights or switched aircraft models.

Late Tuesday, the FAA began updating its guidance on which airports and aircraft models would be affected, in a move expected to dramatically lessen the impact of the nearly 1,500 notices of 5G restrictions issued by the regulator.

The world’s largest operator of the Boeing 777, Dubai’s Emirates, said earlier it would suspend flights to nine U.S. destinations from Jan. 19, the planned date for the deployment of 5G wireless services.

Emirates flights to New York’s JFK, Los Angeles and Washington DC will continue to operate.

Japan’s two major airlines, All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines (9201.T), said they would curtail Boeing 777 flights. ANA said it was cancelling or changing the aircraft used on some U.S. flights.

Germany’s Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) said it had cancelled a flight from Frankfurt to Miami and was switching aircraft used on some U.S. services from Boeing 747-8 to 747-400. Subsidiary Austrian Airlines would switch from a 777 to a 767 on its Newark service.

Korean Air Lines (003490.KS) said it had switched away from 777s and 747-8s on six U.S. passenger and cargo flights, Taiwan’s China Airlines said it would reschedule some flights and Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways said it would deploy different aircraft types if needed.

The airlines said they were acting in response to a notice from Boeing (BA.N) that 5G signals may interfere with the radio altimeter on the 777, leading to restrictions.

A spokesperson for Boeing had no immediate comment.

The 777 last year was the second-most used widebody plane on flights to and from U.S. airports with around 210,000 flights, behind only the 767, according to data from FlightRadar24.

Industry sources said Boeing had issued technical advisories noting potential interference, but that flight restrictions were in the hands of the FAA, which has for now limited operations at key airports unless airlines qualify for special approvals.

Radio altimeters give precise readings of the height above the ground on approach and help with automated landings, as well as…