PAL flights to US to proceed on time as 5G issue resolved

LEGACY carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) said flights to the US are expected to proceed as scheduled after the US Department of Transportation resolved the issue on 5G-transmission on aircraft instruments.

Stanley K. Ng, the flag carrier’s senior vice president for operations, said PAL was already preparing for the cancellation of flights to the US due to the safety concerns over 5G transmission, but has since shelved this after US authorities assured the aviation community that aircraft landing in airports will not encounter interference from 5G radio waves, as telecommunication companies “agreed to revise the deployment” of 5G around key airports in the US.

“The safety of our passengers and crew is always our top priority. We welcome the intervention of the US government and will continue to engage closely with the authorities, airports, aircraft makers and aviation safety professionals to ensure that every PAL flight is operated according to the highest safety standards,” he said.

On Tuesday, US airlines raised concerns over the possible interference of 5G transmission on aviation instruments, warning of an aviation crisis if this safety and operational issue will not be resolved, Reuters reported.

Already, several international carriers have suspended their operations to US cities due to the safety concern, according to a report by cnn, quoting statements from airlines such as Emirates, Air India, All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines.

The safety issue stemmed from a US Federal Aviation Authority (FA A) report that raised concern over the possible interference of 5G signals to radar altimeters, which enable pilots to tell the altitude above a terrain beneath the aircraft.

Ng noted that PAL will continue to “monitor developments and make adjustments should there be changes that pose any impact on safety.”

PAL operates flights to Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. It also has flights to US territories such as Honolulu and Guam.