Flight disruptions ease even as 5G service goes live in US

US regulator grants 5G waivers overnight to minimise flight delays

The launch of enhanced 5G services Wednesday had a limited impact on US flights after aviation regulators gave airlines additional guidance to reflect the decision not to launch the new cellular service near major airports.

Airlines had said they were concerned about potential travel disruptions once wireless providers began beaming new signals to customers, due to flight restrictions intended to protect aircraft from possible interference from the new fifth-generation service. Wireless operators have said the service won’t disrupt airplanes’ instruments.

Relatively clear weather and changes following a temporary concession by wireless carriers to address air-safety concerns helped blunt the disruption Wednesday, the first day of the 5G rollout.

Meanwhile, US aviation regulators issued approvals allowing a popular Boeing Co. widebody jet to continue operations as the first day of a new 5G service began with only modest flight disruption.

The Federal Aviation Administration gave the Boeing 777 at least a partial clearance to continue flying Wednesday after the company had earlier warned operators of the jet that they shouldn’t fly to airports where 5G signals were present, said two people familiar with the action. They were prohibited from speaking publicly about the matter.

David Seymour, American Airlines Group chief operating officer, told employees in a memo Wednesday that the airline had experienced some minor complications as it waited for the Federal Aviation Administration to revise its operating requirements to align with the new 5G deployment plan. The airline said it had some delays and four canceled mainline flights, along with a few more cancellations and delays among its regional carriers.

Seymour said that the carrier expects to receive safety clearances for the remainder of its fleet soon.

United Airlines Holdings Inc. said in a statement that the compromise with AT&T and Verizon helped “avoid mass cancellations across the aviation industry.”

AT&T and Verizon Communications agreed Tuesday to exclude two-mile zones around airport runways from their 5G launches, a last-minute concession to address aviation safety concerns following a monthslong standoff.

The FAA said Wednesday that it had issued new approvals allowing additional aircraft types to land at more airports in low visibility conditions. The FAA said an estimated 62% of the US commercial fleet would be allowed to make low-visibility landings at airports where 5G C-band has been deployed, including Boeing 777 jets, which had previously been left out.