American Airlines warns 5G may result in 'major operational disruptions'

[January 19, 2022]    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - American Airlines Chief Operating Officer David Seymour on Tuesday told employees the company expects the airline industry "will experience major operational disruptions" if new 5G wireless deploys on Wednesday.

An American Airlines Boeing 777 plane takes off from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport in Roissy-en-France near Paris, France, December 2, 2021. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo

"Until a long-term technical solution is developed and implemented and as long as 5G is deployed, we anticipate we’ll experience delays, diversions and cancellations that are well beyond our control," Seymour said in a note to employees. "The entire U.S. airline industry is facing major disruption as new wireless technology is activated."

AT&T said it had agreed to delay some 5G deployment on Wednesday, while Verizon has not yet commented.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

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