Release #: 22.02
January 18, 2022

ALPA Statement on Recent 5G Delay Announcement


WASHINGTON—Capt. Joe DePete, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), the world’s largest nongovernmental aviation safety organization, issued the following statement today after AT&T and Verizon once again delayed the deployment of 5G signals around key airport locations so that aviation stakeholders, including pilots, can ensure the safety of the air system by protecting commercial airliners against radar altimeter interference.
 
“While AT&T and Verizon’s announcement of a delay at certain airports acknowledges the seriousness of the aviation safety and operational risks, airline passengers and shippers deserve a commitment from the telecom companies not to launch the new 5G service at any of the airport locations identified by the FAA as being susceptible to 5G interference until a permanent fix is found. For years, the aviation community has been raising red flags about 5G interference with aircraft safety instruments—concerns that have been ignored by the Federal Communications Commission and the telecom companies, creating the mess we’re in today. The United States has the safest air transportation system in the world, and our trained-for-life pilots plan to keep it that way. But this is no way to protect that safety record and America’s vital aviation industry, which is so critical to our nation’s economy and the global supply chain.”

 

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents more than 61,000 pilots at 38 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit the ALPA website at alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @ALPAPilots.

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CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703-481-4440 or Media@alpa.org