United Can Now Ban Passengers Who Listen to Audio and Video Without Headphones
The interior of an airplane is a confined space where passengers must endure everything from other travelers’ body odors to their loud snoring. But they may no longer need to listen to another passenger’s music, games or movies, at least not on United Airlines.
United added a clause to its rules of carriage that states it has the right to remove from the aircraft at any time any “passenger who is not using headphones while listening to audio or video content.”
A United representative told CNET that the language was added on February 27 and that “we have always encouraged customers to use headphones when listening to audio content – and our Wi-Fi rules already remind customers to use headphones.”
Passengers without headphones can request a free pair of wired headphones from aircraft staff, subject to availability.
While it doesn’t stop people from using their devices without headphones, the policy change gives crew members the legal authority to take action if someone ignores requests to turn off loud sound.
The United representative added that with Starlink rolling out on United planes, “it seemed like a good time” to clarify travel requirements as more people start streaming.
Depending on the severity of the violation, United says it can take action ranging from invalidating the passenger’s ticket, to removing the passenger’s frequent flyer miles, to banning the passenger and putting them on trial.
But not all airline rules regarding courtesy and noise are regularly enforced. The rules also prohibit voice calls once the cabin doors are closed, but passengers often continue their phone conversations until takeoff without any apparent enforcement.
United is one of the largest airlines in the United States, ranking second behind Delta in The Points Guy’s 2025 Best Airlines rankings.
