Exclusive-Many airlines will not meet U.S. 5G upgrade deadline -IATA By Reuters

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A passenger crosses a raised walkway to enter Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. June 28, 2022. REUTERS/Elijah Nouvelage

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The world’s biggest airline trade body warned many airlines will be unable to meet looming U.S. deadlines to retrofit airplane altimeters to ensure they are not susceptible to 5G wireless interference and warned it could impact the summer international travel season.

International Air Transport Association (IATA) Director General Willie Walsh said in a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg seen by Reuters that many operators will not make retrofit deadlines “owing to supply chain issues, certification delays, and unavoidable logistical challenges.”

The letter added “it is critical that we acknowledge and accept that fact and move collectively to change our approach to this issue now, before many carriers are unable to continue to serve the U.S. market during the peak summer travel season.”