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5G concerns won't affect SLC International Airport, but officials prepared

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Posted at 4:20 PM, Jan 18, 2022
and last updated 2022-01-18 18:20:48-05

SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City International Airport officials say they are not among the airports that could be affected by upcoming 5G activation, but will work with passengers should delays occur at other facilities.

Airline executives warned of flight cancellations and disruptions if AT&T and Verizon were allowed to go through with Wednesday's scheduled activation. The companies later announced they would delay the 5G rollout around some airports.

Officials fear the 5G activation would interfere with airplane altimeters and alter readings on other instruments.

Whenever the activation occurs, Salt Lake City International Airport is far enough away from the towers to be affected. But officials are keeping an eye on the rollout.

"We're aware of the issue and we're working closely with the FAA and the airlines to see what potential impacts it may have," said airport spokesperson Nancy Volmer.

While departures and arrivals in and out of Salt Lake City won't be a cause for concern, passengers could find themselves stuck because of delays at other airports.

"From the airport perspective, what we're planning on is just keeping in touch with our airline partners, so if there are any delays or cancellations, we can certainly be there to support them," Volmer said.

The airport is Delta's fourth-largest hub and potentially thousands of passengers could be affected daily should flights be delayed across the country. Volmer recommends people get in direct contact with their airline to figure out a plan of action should concerns become reality.

"We could see an impact on those flights, but it's really hard to say, it's hard to speculate until this actually is implemented and we see what types of affects it has on the various aircraft," said Volmer.

Emirates, Air India, All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines announced they were canceling international flights into the U.S. because of the concerns, CNN reported.