United Airlines has made what was once considered basic flight etiquette into an enforceable rule — and passengers who break it could be permanently banned from flying with the Chicago-based carrier.
According to USA Today, United quietly updated its contract of carriage on Friday (February 27) to add “passengers who fail to use headphones while listening to audio or video content” as grounds for removal or refusal of transport. The contract of carriage is the legally binding agreement passengers accept when they purchase a ticket.
Under the updated policy, United now reserves the right to remove a passenger from a flight or refuse transport “on a permanent or temporary basis” for not using headphones. The rule appears under the airline’s refusal of transport section, which according to People, is listed under safety — meaning removal “may be necessary” for the wellbeing of everyone aboard.
United is the first major U.S. carrier to make headphone use a legally binding requirement. Other airlines have encouraged the practice but have stopped short of codifying it. Delta Air Lines asks passengers to “please use earbuds or headphones with any personal electronic device” for the comfort of those around them, while Southwest Airlines states that “headphones are required whenever a passenger is listening to any audio” — but neither rule appears in those carriers’ contracts of carriage.
Other offenses that can get a passenger removed or permanently banned from United include wearing lewd or offensive clothing, violating the no-smoking policy, and making voice or video calls after the aircraft doors have closed or while in the air.
Passengers who cause “loss, damage or expense of any kind” to the airline as a result of violating the policy may also be required to reimburse United for those losses.
Travelers who forget their headphones aren’t completely out of luck. United says passengers can ask a flight attendant for a free pair of basic wired earbuds, subject to availability.
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