Source: Alaska Airlines
As you may have heard in the news, last week, AT&T and Verizon agreed to limit the use of 5G C-Band signals near major airports. This action was essential to avoiding a catastrophic disruption among travelers, shipping and the global supply chain and the U.S. economy.
While we appreciate the efforts of the telecom industry and government agencies to avert the most significant impacts, the rollout of this new 5G band is still creating disruptions for regional air travel.
In a nutshell, the new 5G C-band, when deployed within two miles of an airport, interferes with vital flight technology used to navigate aircraft during challenging weather and low visibility. As a result, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued flight restrictions that limit the ability of some aircraft to land in certain weather conditions.
Since the agreement was reached, Alaska’s Boeing and Airbus aircraft have been cleared for low visibility landings by the FAA. However, some of our regional jets have not yet been cleared at certain airports and are still subject to restrictions on landing/takeoff during low visibility conditions (such as dense fog or winter weather) that were put in place before the agreement to limit 5G. This is causing cancellations, delays and diversions.
To minimize the impact the FAA’s 5G-related restrictions may have on your travel, please follow these tips:
- Always check the status of your flight before leaving for the airport. You can do this online or on the Alaska mobile app.
- If your flight is impacted, manage your travel online.
- We are always here to help. Text 82008 or call 1-800-252-7522 for assistance with your reservation.
We know this situation is frustrating and disruptive to those impacted and we’re asking the government to ensure an effective, safe, reliable and sustainable solution to get all our aircraft back to normal operations.