The Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency Act of 2026 passed Congress, requiring all U.S. commercial passenger airlines to install updated collision-avoidance technology in their fleets.

The legislation applies to American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Alaska Airlines, and all other Part 121 carriers. The FAA will enforce compliance and set technical standards for the upgraded systems.

The ALERT Act was driven by a series of high-profile runway near-miss incidents over the past two years. Investigators found that existing collision-avoidance systems, while effective at altitude, had gaps in ground-based proximity detection during taxi, takeoff, and landing operations.

Airlines have approximately 18 months to retrofit existing aircraft and equip new deliveries with the updated systems. Industry groups estimate the total compliance cost at $2 to $3 billion across the fleet, though airlines are expected to absorb the expense without direct fare increases.

For passengers, the legislation represents an incremental but meaningful safety improvement. The upgraded systems will provide pilots and ground controllers with better real-time awareness of aircraft positions during the most accident-prone phases of flight.