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Anxiety mounts among international airlines as US deploys 5G network

Major international airlines have cancelled flights heading to the United States or changed the planes they’re using Wednesday, the latest complication in a dispute over concerns that 5G mobile phone service could interfere with aircraft technology.

Some airlines said they were warned that the Boeing 777, a plane used by carriers worldwide, was particularly affected by the new high-speed wireless service.

The aircraft is the workhorse for the Dubai-based Emirates, a key carrier for East-West travel, and its flight schedule took one of the biggest hits.

It was not clear how disruptive the cancellations would be. Several airlines said they would try to merely use different planes to maintain their service.

The cancellations and changes came a day after mobile phone carriers AT&T and Verizon said they would postpone new wireless service near some US airports planned for this week.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has cleared a number of aircraft to fly into airports with 5G signals, but the Boeing 777 is not on the list.

Similar mobile networks have been deployed in dozens of other countries — sometimes with concessions such as reducing the power of the networks near airports, as France has done.

But in the US, the issue has pitted the FAA and the airlines against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and telecommunications companies.

The 5G service uses a segment of the radio spectrum that is close to that used by radio altimeters, which are devices that measure the height of aircraft above the ground and help pilots land in low visibility.

The FCC, which set a buffer between the 5G band and the spectrum that planes use, determined that it could be used safely in the vicinity of air traffic.

AT&T and Verizon have said their equipment will not interfere with aircraft electronics.

But FAA officials saw a potential problem, and the telecom companies agreed to a pause while it is addressed.

On Wednesday, Emirates announced it would halt flights to several US cities due to “operational concerns associated with the planned deployment of 5G mobile network services in the U.S. at certain airports”.

It said it would continue flights to Los Angeles, New York and Washington.

“We are working closely with aircraft manufacturers and the relevant authorities to alleviate operational concerns, and we hope to resume our US services as soon as possible,” the state-owned airline said.

Of particular concern appears to be the Boeing 777. Emirates only flies that model and the Airbus A380 jumbo jet.

Japan’s All Nippon Airways said that the FAA “has indicated that radio waves from the 5G wireless service may interfere with aircraft altimeters”.

“Boeing has announced flight restrictions on all airlines operating the Boeing 777 aircraft, and we have cancelled or changed the aircraft for some flights to/from the US-based on the announcement by Boeing,” ANA said.

It cancelled 20 flights over the issue to cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles and New York.

Japan Airlines similarly said that it had been informed that 5G signals “may interfere with the radio altimeter installed on the Boeing 777”.

It said it will stop using the model in the continental US for now.

Eight of its flights were affected Wednesday — three passenger trips and five for cargo.

Taiwan’s EVA Air also said the FAA specifically said 777s may be affected, but it did not spell out how it would adjust its schedule.

But Air France said it planned to continue flying its Boeing 777s into American airports. It did not explain why it didn’t change its aircraft as many other carriers have.

Chicago-based Boeing Co did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Air India also announced on Twitter that it would cancel flights to Chicago, Newark, New York and San Francisco because of the 5G issue.

But it also said it would try to use other aircraft on US routes — a course several other airlines took.

Korean Air, Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific and Austrian Airlines said they substituted different planes for flights that were scheduled to use 777s.

Korean Air spokeswoman Jill Chung said the airline was also avoiding operating some kinds of 747s at affected airports.

Germany’s Lufthansa also swapped out one kind of 747 for another on some US-bound flights.

British Airways cancelled several planned US-bound Boeing 777 flights and changed aircraft on others.

The FAA has said it will allow planes with accurate, reliable altimeters to operate around high-power 5G.

But planes with older altimeters will not be allowed to make landings under low-visibility conditions.

Contributing to the problem, according to the FAA, are the signal strength of the 5G towers and the orientation of their antennae.

“Base stations in rural areas of the United States are permitted to emit at higher levels in comparison to other countries which may affect radio altimeter equipment accuracy and reliability,” the FAA said in December.

FCC Chairwoman, Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement that the 5G “deployment can safely co-exist with aviation technologies in the United States, just as it does in other countries around the world.”

However, Rosenworcel urged the FAA to conduct its safety checks with “both care and speed”.

AT&T and Verizon spent tens of billions of dollars for the 5G spectrum known as C-Band in a government auction last year.

Choi Jong-Yun, a spokeswoman for Asiana Airlines, said the company hasn’t been affected so far because it uses Airbus planes for passenger flights to the US.

However, Choi raised a new wrinkle, saying airlines have also been instructed by the FAA to avoid automatic landings at affected US airports during bad weather conditions, regardless of plane type.

Asiana will redirect its planes to nearby airports during those conditions, she said.

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Aviation

From 6k to 50k: The economic insensitivity of arbitrary hike in parking rate at MM2

Olutayo Irantiola

Recently, the parking rate at the Multi-storey Car Park at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 (MMA2), operated by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) and managed by Balosh, was arbitrarily increased.

Overnight parking, which used to be six thousand naira (N6,000) only, was increased to fifty thousand naira (N50,000) only.
What is the mathematical rationale for this type of increase?

In 2021, Balosh, the company managing the toll system within the airport, was engaged by the Lagos State Government and Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), and it almost resorted into a crisis within the hospital premises because one would not be able to explain the rationale for having a patient in the hospital, and one would be charged for car park.Nigerians are unable to commute by road, train, or even the waterways.

 Despite the rising cost of all modes of commuting, one is now confronted with an unjustified increase in airport parking rates.

With the rising cost of house rent cum accommodation in Lagos, people have moved to various suburbs of Lagos.

 When they have a reason to travel, the most cost-effective option is to get their vehicle to the airport, park it, travel to their destination, and return to their vehicle to get home within 3-4 days.
 When it was N6,000, everyone assumed that it was affordable and safe to keep their cars at the airport, similar to what happens at the jetties and train station.

The rising cost of JetA1 has been attributed to the rising cost of air ticket which is almost beyond the reach of an average Nigerian; the rising cost of PMS (Petrol) at this time when Iran and US war is ongoing has made people abandoned their cars while app hailing taxi services are ‘cutting’ people’s heads off while the regular airport taxi call unfriendly rates to the already overtaxed Nigerian that has not gotten an increase in salary despite the galloping inflation.Further rationalising this increase, it seems that the airport authority is now competing with the airlines- if one can afford a N300,000 return ticket, then one can also afford a N150,000 for a three-day parking at the airport.

This is not a fair deal for Nigerian travellers who are working hard to travel by air, given the imminent fear of what could go wrong on the road.

Can one liken the increase to a collaboration between the taxi unions and the airport to rip people off of their hard-earned money?

 What this means is that for anyone who cannot afford parking at the airport, you will be forced to use a taxi that is ‘seemingly’ above the law, which is in connivance with the private operators of the airport.
The enforcement team at MM2 would never clamp taxis, but they aim at private vehicles that are forced to use the car park, regardless of how many minutes one wants to use at the airport.
Beyond the exorbitant rate introduced by the airport operators for the car park, they are also on the case of on-demand, multi-category delivery platform riders who pick up food items from restaurants within the airport.
This wanton drive for revenue will kill more businesses than build a thriving economy.
Beyond the few excuses given by the operators of the car park and the airport, Nigerians need organisations that are empathetic and can feel the pulse of the people.
With the current rate, it means anyone without a driver cannot live a simple life of fueling his car at over a thousand naira per litre, drive to the airport, keep his car and return joyfully to Lagos with the intent of driving home.

This is another way of destroying the middle class in Nigeria. If you engage a friend, sibling or acquaintance without a license to drive your car away from the airport, and such a person runs into the VIO or FRSC, the problem becomes complicated.

It is expedient for the airport operators to devise a strategy to identify actual travellers, which should be based solely on their boarding passes and means of identification.

For those whose boarding passes and tally slips given at the car park entrance can be matched, they should be given a concession.

 They can deal decisively with other vehicles parked without justification. But making the car park rate unaffordable to the common man should not be allowed to stay.

There is no moral justification for overnight parking, let alone moving from 6,000 to 50,000!

I will want to implore the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development of Nigeria, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN; Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria(FAAN), Mrs Olubunmi Kuku and other government agencies to please look into the matter and reduce the hardship being experienced by Nigerian travellers who need to park at MM2.

Olutayo Irantiola is a PR Consultant and Public Affairs analyst based in Lagos, Nigeria

 

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Aviation

FAAN resumes toll collection at Airports, adopts hybrid payment method 

Gloria Odion, Reporter
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria(FAAN) have resumed collection of toll at all its toll plazas located at the airports in the country, including Murtalar Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.
The toll suspension arose from the chaos which the new cashless payment method introduced by FAAN recently generated which resulted in long queues of motorists at these facilities.
This development has raised public outcry which necessitated the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who directed the suspension of the cashless payment system.
However, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has directed the resumption of toll collection at all these plazas.
In a press statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, the Minister declared that a hybrid access gate payment should be adopted by FAAN at the toll gates located at the Airports in the country.
“Following the earlier suspension of the full cashless Access Gate payment system as directed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu due to the traffic gridlock it created, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development met with officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and senior officials of the Ministry.
“After reviewing the initial implementation and the operational challenges observed, the following decisions were reached:
” The Ministry has resolved to engage concessionaires in order to introduce a fully automated or electronic system at all access gates at our airports in order to fully and eventually eliminate cash payments.
” In the meantime, a hybrid payment system that accommodates both cash and card payments will resume at all airport access gates with effect from Friday, March 13, 2026.
” Motorists who already possess FAAN Go Cashless Cards may continue to use them until further notice.
“Other electronic payment options, including POS terminals and other approved digital channels, will also remain available.
“Members of the public and road users are encouraged to obtain and use the FAAN Go Cashless Card as the Authority continues to enhance and fully optimise the cashless payment system.
“This directive restores the previous access  gate payment arrangement whilst the Ministry continues to work on the fully automated or electronic system” the statement concluded.
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Aviation

Tension de-escalates at Lagos Airport as FAAN, Cargo agents reach truce over new tariff

Funso OLOJO, Editor
The brewing crisis over the new cargo tariff introduced by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria( FAAN) may have been de- escalated  as the Airport Authority and the aggrieved Customs Licensed Cargo Agents have reached a compromise over the controversial tariff.
It could be recalled the new tariff regime of N20 per kilogram introduced by FAAN has sparked off a row between the airport authority and the cargo agents who vowed to resist the increase from the initial N7 per kilogram.
Tension has heightened when the two warring parties stuck to their gun with FAAN issuing a quit notice to the residents cargo agents and a threat to demolish their associations’ Secretariat.
However sanity prevailed after about one week of stand- off between the two gladiators as they both met for dialogue on Monday February 9th, 2026.
According to the statement issued by FAAN, the two sides have reached an agreement on the proposed review of cargo port charges.
“The agreement was achieved at a stakeholders meeting held on Monday February 9th, 2026,at the MMIA Terminal 2 conference room chaired by the Director of Cargo Development and Services, Mr Lekan Thomas.
“After constructive deliberation, both parties agreed on a revised port charges of N15.00 per kilogram, representing a compromise from the earlier proposed N20.00kg and an upward review of the existing #N7.00kg.
“The outcome reflects the spirit of dialogue, partnership and  shared responsibility.
“FAAN believes the resolution will enhance ease of doing business at MMIA while supporting sustainable airport and cargo infrastructure development.
“The Authority reaffirms it’s commitment to continuous stakeholders engagement,the SEDI(safety, efficiency, development and innovation) principles and the ongoing modernization of cargo terminal facilities.
“FAAN appreciates the cooperation of the customs Licensed cargo Agents and looks forward to sustained collaboration in advancing Nigeria’s air cargo sector” the Airport Authority stated.
Dr Segun Musa, the Vice- President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) and one of the leaders of the warring associations at the Cargo Airport, confirmed the truce.
” Yes, we met yesterday, Monday (February 9th 2026) and we agreed on N15 per Kilogram.
“We agreed with FAAN in the interest of the economy, so that work could go on.
“The situation is now normalized” Musa declared.
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