Why didn't the US anticipate 5G like Europe?
2:45
(CNN) -
Several international airlines say they will cancel flights to the United States starting Wednesday amid uncertainty about interference between the new 5G cell phone service and key technologies for operating aircraft.
Emirates, Air India, All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines all announced service cuts citing the problem.
Emirates said it would suspend flights to nine US airports: Boston, Chicago O'Hare, Dallas Fort Worth, George Bush Intercontinental in Houston, Miami, Newark, Orlando, San Francisco and Seattle.
He said he would continue to fly to New York's John F. Kennedy Airport, Los Angeles Airport and Washington Dulles.
Boeing and Airbus ask to postpone deployment of 5G cellular service for security reasons
"We are working closely with aircraft manufacturers and relevant authorities to alleviate operational concerns, and look forward to resuming our services to the United States as soon as possible," Emirates said in its statement.
Air India said it would suspend service between Delhi airport and San Francisco, Chicago and JFK.
It will also suspend a flight from Mumbai to Newark.
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Both ANA and Japan Airlines said they canceled some flights to the United States scheduled to use Boeing 777 planes, but will operate some flights with Boeing 787s instead.
Transportation regulators were already concerned that the version of 5G that was scheduled to go live in January could interfere with some aircraft instruments, and many aviation industry groups shared those fears, despite assurances of federal telecommunications regulators and wireless carriers.
Why are airlines worried about the implementation of 5G technology?
2:21
Specifically, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is concerned that 5G cellular antennas near some airports, not air travelers' mobile devices, could skew readings from some aircraft equipment designed to tell them pilots how far they are off the ground. Those systems, known as radar altimeters, are used during a flight and are considered critical equipment. (Radar altimeters differ from standard altimeters, which are based on atmospheric pressure readings and do not use radio signals to measure altitude.)
The FAA had already moved in December to issue an urgent order that prohibited pilots from using the potentially affected altimeters around airports where low-visibility conditions would require them.
That new rule could prevent planes from reaching some airports in certain circumstances, because pilots wouldn't be able to land using only instruments.
AT&T, which owns the parent company of CNN, and Verizon announced Tuesday that they would delay activating 5G on some towers around certain airports.
The launch of wireless technology near major airports was scheduled for this Wednesday.
AT&T and Verizon agree to postpone 5G rollout near airports for 2 weeks
"We are frustrated by the FAA's inability to do what nearly 40 countries have done, which is to safely implement 5G technology without disrupting aviation services, and urge it to do so in a timely manner," said Megan Ketterer, AT&T spokesperson.
The Biden administration welcomed the postponement, saying in a statement that the "deal will prevent potentially devastating disruptions to passenger travel, cargo operations, and our economic recovery, while allowing more than 90% of tower deployment wireless is done as scheduled.
In a letter Tuesday, the CEOs of 10 airlines told the Biden administration to delay the already postponed launch.
Airlines estimate 1,000 flight disruptions per day due to possible interference with radar altimeters used by pilots to land in poor visibility conditions.
The telecoms industry has not commented on the letter, but has said the fears are unfounded as there have been no problems in other countries where 5G has already been rolled out.
CNN's Brian Fung and Jackie Wattles contributed to this report.
Federal Aviation AdministrationAirlinesEmirates Airlines