British Airways: Suspension of flights to the United States because of 5G
British Airways is among the airlines canceling flights to the United States due to 5G security concerns.
The action responds to concerns that Wednesday’s activation of the C-band tier of mobile phone service near US airports could disrupt aircraft navigation systems, with Boeing 777s at particular risk.
The introduction of the technology has been halted in parts of the United States, but continues elsewhere. The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said it had “issued safety advice” to airlines.
On Wednesday, British Airways canceled flights between Heathrow and Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco.
The airline said in a statement: “Safety is always our priority. We are closely monitoring the situation in the United States and will continue to review our schedule in the coming hours.
“We are disappointed that some of our customers are facing potential disruptions and we will notify them as soon as possible of any changes to their travel plans.”
The airline said the Boeing 777s would be replaced by larger planes such as the Airbus A380 to ensure people could still fly the same day they booked.
On the flight deck of a new Boeing 777, other airlines have made numerous other cancellations, including Emirates, which on Wednesday suspended all flights to nine US airports “until further notice”.
The Dubai-based carrier told customers the measure was “due to operational issues related to the planned rollout of 5G mobile network services in the United States at certain airports.”
He added: “Emirates regrets any inconvenience caused. We are working closely with aircraft manufacturers and relevant authorities to mitigate operational issues, and hope to resume our US services as soon as possible. »