IATA Urges ITU to Strengthen Safeguards for Aircraft Safety Systems as 5G/6G Expands

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has issued a strong call to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and national regulators to ensure that the rollout of 5G and future 6G networks does not compromise aviation safety systems, particularly radio altimeters.

Context:
- 5G networks operate in frequency bands close to the radio altimeter allocation (4.2–4.4 GHz).
- Altimeters provide critical height information during take-off, landing, taxi, adverse weather, and emergency scenarios.

IATA’s Call to Action:
- ITU studies must reflect real-world operational conditions, not just telecom industry models.
- Spectrum policy should account for all safety scenarios, including turbulence, windshear, and go-arounds.
- Maintain a minimum separation of 35 ft (11 m) between aircraft and terrestrial 5G transmitters.

Persistent Challenges:
- Current 5G mitigations (like reduced transmission power, runway exclusion zones, and antenna tilting) are temporary.
- These measures are set to expire soon in countries like Canada (Jan 2026) and Australia (Apr 2026).
- In the US, auctions for the Upper C-Band (3.98–4.2 GHz) are advancing, with protections scheduled to be lifted by 2028.
- Next-generation altimeters resistant to 5G interference are not expected until the early 2030s, creating a “mitigation gap”.

Industry Concern:
- Without consistent safeguards, airlines face increased risks in maintaining safe operations.
- Regulators must act now to bridge the gap before new altimeter technology becomes available.

Significance
This is a critical aviation safety issue:
- Ensuring safe coexistence between telecom networks and aviation systems is vital as connectivity expands.
- The outcome of ITU’s work ahead of the World Radiocommunication Conference 2027 (WRC-27) will set the global framework for balancing telecom innovation with aviation safety.