Foreign Airlines Say FAA Underestimated 5G Retrofit Costs

By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief

Proposed U.S. requirements to retrofit airplane altimeters to ensure they are not susceptible to 5G wireless interference could cost the industry hundreds of millions of dollars more than the FAA estimated, the world's biggest airline trade body told the agency last week. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) represents more than 100 foreign carriers that fly to and from the United States. It said in comments to the FAA that Inside Towers obtained, the costs could be $637 million, not the $26 million estimated by the agency. The association notes that FAA estimates do not include the 3,240 foreign carriers facing the July 1, 2023, deadline for aircraft that would need to be modified to avoid radio altimeter interference. The IATA believes the costs for the 6,000 planes already retrofitted and non-U.S. registered planes that will be impacted should be included in the total. Continue Reading