LATAM Brazil resumes 777 flights to the U.S. after 5G concerns

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Like many airlines worldwide, LATAM Group was concerned about the deployment of 5G network in the United States, supposed to happen this week. LATAM changed a fraction of its operations to counteract the measure, modifying the aircraft it would use on long-haul routes between Brazil and the United States, from the Boeing 777-300ER to the B767 and B787 Dreamliner.

However, following the delay in switching on the 5G network by AT&T and Verizon, LATAM Airlines Group has quickly retaken its prior schedule. The airline has put the B777-300ER back on the routes to the United States.

On January 18, LATAM Brazil switched its Boeing 777-300ER with other long-haul aircraft to operate the routes between the South American country and the United States. This was a precautionary measure due to the deployment of 5G and concerns about the potential impact on technology such as autoland.

Currently, LATAM Brazil offers 194 monthly flights to the United States. It flies from São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) to New York (JFK), Orlando (MCO), and Miami (MIA). The airline uses its Boeing 767, 777-300, and 787-8 fleet to cover these routes.

Like many airlines worldwide, LATAM decided to make some changes to its routes to the United States, to address the launch of 5G. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has concerns about a potential interference between 5G and aircraft technology, particularly in the areas around airports.

The 5G saga caused controversy during the week; carriers like Emirates, ANA, Japan Airlines, Air India, and more cancelled flights in recent days. Therefore, a two-week delay was agreed on the subject, and airlines have resumed operating their regular schedules; meanwhile, the authorities are looking for a solution to the topic.

LATAM Brazil issued a statement on the subject: “LATAM has no further change scheduled, either on its flights or aircraft employed on routes between Brazil and the United States. The company is closely tracking the development of this topic, always following the guidelines provided by the authorities of the countries where it flies to.”

“Exceptionally, on January 18, and only as a precautionary measure, LATAM replaced its Boeing 777 (with a capacity for 410 passengers) on that date with the Boeing 787 (capacity for 300 passengers) in the Guarulhos-Miami route and with the Boeing 767 (capacity for 221 passengers) in the Guarulhos-New York route,” the airline added.

5G AND AVIATION

On January 19, 5G services were supposed to begin. They would have used frequencies in a radio spectrum called the C-band. These frequencies can be close to those used by radar altimeters.

Additionally, the proposed 5G deployment in the U.S. involves a new combination of power levels, frequencies, proximity to flight operations, and other factors, said the FAA. Due to this combination, the FAA would have needed to impose restrictions on flight operations using certain types of radar altimeter equipment close to antennas in 5G networks. These restrictions would have impacted flight schedules, operations, and the whole ecosystem.

The FAA “is working on measures to ensure that radio signals from newly activated wireless telecommunications systems can coexist safely with flight operations in the United States, with input from the aviation sector and telecommunications industry.”