The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said the costs to retrofit airplanes would far exceed the $26m (£21.5m) estimated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Reuters has reported. 

The organisation, which represents more than 100 carriers that fly to the United States, said the figure would be closer to $637m (£526m). 

The estimate is a response to the FAA's proposal to require all passenger and cargo aircraft in the United States to have 5G C-Band-tolerant radio altimeters or approved filters by early 2024. 

In the past, the FAA has warned that 5G technologies could affect sensitive aircraft instruments such as altimeters - which provide pilots with an accurate reading of the plane’s proximity to the ground, helping to minimise the risk of accidents or collisions - and thus having significant impact on flights in low-visibility atmospheric conditions.

The concerns led to disruptions at some US airports in January 2022 involving...