PAL says US flights to proceed as 5G concerns resolved

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) said Wednesday it expects its flights to the United States to proceed as scheduled after US authorities have resolved safety questions over the effect of new 5G transmitters on aircraft instruments when in the vicinity of certain US airports.

In a statement, PAL said that the US Department of Transportation has assured the aviation community that aircraft landing in US airports will not encounter interference from 5G radio waves, “now that telecommunications companies have agreed with the Biden administration to revise the deployment of the upgraded technology around key airports throughout the US.”

The flag carrier said it had been preparing to cancel certain US-bound flights had there been any remaining concern over the 5G effect on flight safety. 

“The safety of our passengers and crew is always our top priority,” said PAL senior vice president for operations Stanley Ng.

“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,” added Ng.

PAL, nonetheless, said it will continue to monitor developments and make adjustments should there be changes that pose any impact on safety.

The flag carrier flies regularly to Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York, and the continued safe operation of these flights will benefit thousands of travelers, including US-based Filipinos, who prefer to fly on its nonstop flights between Manila and the US mainland.

PAL said its flights to Honolulu and Guam, as well as routes to other overseas destinations in Asia, North America, Australia and the Middle East, are not affected by the 5G concerns that involved only specific airports in the US mainland. — VBL, GMA News