5G service interference caused by a new C-band offering from AT&T and Verizon could render a large number of widebody aircraft unusable.

A letter issued from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warns that interference from the new 5G network could affect instruments on board crafts such as altimeters and hamper low-visibility.

The warning from several airlines comes despite UK regulator Ofcom stating that there’s no evidence to support the cause for alarm.

“Unless our major hubs are cleared to fly, the vast majority of the travelling and shipping public will essentially be grounded,” wrote the chief executives of American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines and others.

This will “potentially strand tens of thousands of Americans oversea… To be blunt, the nation’s commerce will grind to a halt,” they added.

AT&T and Verizon responded to the claims of potential 5G service interference, saying C-band 5G has seen successful roll-out in 40 countries without causing any notable issues to airlines, though they have agreed to buffer zones around 50 airports to reduce the risk of interference.

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The mobile service providers have delayed roll-out of the new service twice already but plan to go ahead on Wednesday.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), telecommunications spokespeople and Ofcom released a statement in response to the concerns.

“We are aware of reports that suggest that the frequency band being used for 5G in a number of countries could potentially pose a risk of interference with aircraft radio altimeters,” said a spokesperson for the CAA.

“There have been no reported incidents of aircraft systems being affected by 5G transmissions in UK airspace, but we are nonetheless working with Ofcom and the Ministry of Defence to make sure that the deployment of 5G in the UK does not cause any technical problems for aircraft,” they added,

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