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Saturday, November 14, 2026Nov 14

EXPLAINER: Why airlines fear 5G will upend travel this week

FILE - A passenger walks past a Southwest Airlines plane at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, March 26, 2021. AT&T and Verizon have agreed to delay the launch of a new slice of 5G service by two weeks after airlines and the nation's aviation regulator complained about potential interference with systems on board planes. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)
FILE - A passenger walks past a Southwest Airlines plane at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, March 26, 2021. AT&T and Verizon have agreed to delay the launch of a new slice of 5G service by two weeks after airlines and the nation's aviation regulator complained about potential interference with systems on board planes. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)

AT&T will postpone new wireless service near some airports planned for this week after the nation’s largest airlines said the service would interfere with aircraft technology and cause massive flight disruptions.

The company said Tuesday it would delay turning on new cell towers around runways at some airports – it did not say how many – and work with federal regulators to settle a dispute over potential interference from new 5G service.

The decision came after the airline industry raised the stakes in a showdown with AT&T and Verizon over plans to launch new 5G wireless service this week, warning that thousands of flights could be grounded or delayed if the rollout takes place near major airports.

Here is a rundown of the issue from The Associated Press.

WHOSE SIDE IS THE GOVERNMENT ON?