The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has urged the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and national regulators to ensure that 5G and future 6G networks operating near aviation frequencies do not interfere with aircraft radio altimeters and other safety-critical avionics.
The warning comes as several temporary mitigation measures introduced in countries including the United States, Canada, and Australia—such as power limits and buffer zones around airports—are due to expire in the coming years, potentially creating safety gaps before next-generation altimeters are widely deployed in the early 2030s.
Nick Careen, IATA’s senior vice president for operations, safety and security, said that while next-generation mobile networks bring significant benefits, aviation safety must remain paramount. He stressed that spectrum policy decisions should reflect real-world flight operations rather than theoretical telecom models.
In a working paper submitted to the ITU’s WP5B meeting in Geneva, IATA outlined safety requirements across all phases of flight, including take-off, landing, taxiing, go-arounds, and operations in adverse weather. The association reiterated that a minimum separation of 35 feet between aircraft and terrestrial 5G transmitters is necessary to avoid harmful interference.
Although some telecom operators have voluntarily implemented mitigation measures such as antenna tilting, reduced transmission power, and runway exclusion zones, IATA said these are only interim solutions. Regulators are now under pressure to establish permanent, globally harmonised safeguards ahead of wider 5G and future 6G deployments.
