Air India resumes flights to US following 5G deployment

Air India, which had cancelled, curtailed and revised flights to the US following deployment of 5G internet services, announced on Thursday that Boeing has cleared its operation of B777s to the country.

The first flight to New York City left on Thursday morning. Flights to Chicago and San Francisco were also scheduled to leave later in the day.

Matters relating to its Boeing 777 operations to the US have been sorted out, said the airline, which had to cancel several flights from Wednesday following concerns that the 5G rollout there could interfere with the radio altimeters in the aircraft, posing a safety risk.

Air India had cancelled at least 14 flights between India and the US after the US regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration warned that the 5G could interfere with key cockpit instruments including altimeters. The 5G rollout impact was primarily on operations relating to Boeings 777 and 747, while those with Boeing 787 aircraft had to take additional precautions when landing on wet runways at the airports.

The Indian carrier operates Boeing 777s and 787s to New York, Newark, Washington DC, Chicago and San Francisco. American and Delta Airlines also operate direct flights between India and the US.