IATA urges telecom union to protect aircraft safety systems as 5G/6G expands

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) urged the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and national telecommunications regulators to ensure that 5G and future 6G networks operating near aviation frequencies do not impair radio altimeters and other avionic systems. Ahead of the World Radiocommunication Conference 2027 (WRC-27), the ITU is conducting detailed studies to determine the technical […]

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) urged the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and national telecommunications regulators to ensure that 5G and future 6G networks operating near aviation frequencies do not impair radio altimeters and other avionic systems.

Ahead of the World Radiocommunication Conference 2027 (WRC-27), the ITU is conducting detailed studies to determine the technical conditions for global 5G/6G deployment.

This guidance, developed with national telecom regulators and aviation safety authorities, will set the long-term framework for protecting essential aviation systems while enabling future telecom connectivity.

To support this process, IATA submitted a working paper—being presented at the ITU WP5B Meeting (Geneva, 18-27 November 2025) outlining the operational scenarios and safety requirements that must guide future spectrum policy.

IATA’s paper calls for future spectrum policy to take into consideration all key safety scenarios, including take-off, landing, taxi, and go-arounds; adverse weather conditions (turbulence and windshear); and emergency or off-nominal situations. Radio altimeters, which rely on spectrum availability, provide essential height information in all these conditions and support both flight crews and automated safety systems.

IATA also reaffirmed the importance of maintaining a minimum separation of 35 ft (11 m) between aircraft and terrestrial 5G transmitters.

IATA Senior Vice President Operations, Safety and Security, Nick Careen said, “The benefits of 5G and 6G can never come at the cost of aviation safety. Spectrum decisions must be based on real-world aircraft operations, not idealized telecommunications industry modeling. That means ensuring ITU studies fully reflect the most demanding conditions pilots face. With input from aviation users, WRC-27 must deliver clear global rules to ensure the safe coexistence of radio altimeters and other safety-critical avionic systems with next-generation telecom networks across all phases of flight.”

“Current 5G mitigations were never designed as a long-term solution and several will expire within months. At the same time, more resilient radio altimeters will not reach airlines until the next decade. That leaves a significant mitigation gap. With new spectrum auctions underway and protections being lifted in key markets, regulators must not assume safety will take care of itself. The industry needs clear, consistent safeguards to bridge the period before new altimeters are available,” said Careen.