United Airlines may now remove passengers who play audio without headphones

[Alfonso Maruccia]

In a nutshell: United Airlines recently updated its Contract of Carriage Document, which outlines the terms and conditions under which the airline provides transportation services. The CCD's section on potential "Refusal of Transport" (Rule 21) now includes a new provision covering passengers who deliberately fail to use headphones while listening to music or other multimedia content.

United can now remove any passenger who refuses to wear headphones while playing audio. The airline also reserves the right to temporarily or permanently ban offending passengers, although refunds may still be issued upon request. According to the CCD, playing audio without headphones constitutes a material breach of contract, alongside other violations such as failing to wear adequate clothing or behaving in an obscene or offensive manner.

United Airlines has long encouraged customers to use headphones, particularly after partnering with Starlink to provide free in-flight Wi-Fi to passengers. Even before the new addition to Rule 21, the airline's Wi-Fi guidelines reminded passengers to use headphones whenever possible.

The airline is even offering a free pair of headphones to passengers who forget to bring their own during boarding. According to a recent survey by Savanta, 38% of people regularly encounter loud audio while using transportation services. The London-based research firm also found that more than half of surveyed passengers (54%) would feel uncomfortable asking someone to turn the volume down.

Based on my own experience with public transportation and reactions online, UA's new rule may be a welcome step toward promoting more considerate behavior. Passengers who play audio without headphones in confined spaces can be disruptive, and loud digital toys used by children often make the situation even worse.

According to travel expert Scott Keyes, United Airlines is the first major airline to adopt a rule this strict regarding headphones and loud audio. Most carriers encourage passengers to use headphones, but they typically stop short of enforcing the rule because they do not want to risk denying service to travelers over the issue.

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United Airlines may now remove passengers who play audio without headphones

 

[Squid Surprise]

It’s so sad that this is necessary… people, your phone/tablet should only be on speaker if you are ALONE!!

I don’t want to hear your FaceTime conversation!!

 

[PXAbstraction]

I mean, good they did this, but it seriously took this long?!

 

[The Talking Tech]

And when are airlines going to enforce fat people to book an additional seat? It's not fair that people with massive body sizes get to affect other passengers seating right next to them.

Airline seats are already too small as they are and on top of that we shouldn't be dealing with someone's else body parts hanging outside their own seat.

 

[Endymio]

And when are airlines going to enforce fat people to book an addional seat? It's not fair that people with massive body sizes get to affect other passengers seating right next to them.

I wonder how long before we begin seeing stories about how many millions of gallons of jet fuel Ozempic has saved US airlines?

 

[Squid Surprise]

I wonder how long before we begin seeing stories about how many millions of gallons of jet fuel Ozempic has saved US airlines?

Ok, I haven’t stopped laughing since I read this… sadly, it will probably happen…

 

[p51d007]

There was a story Monday morning about a DRUNK woman kicked off an airline just before the flight took off because she was playing a video on her phone and wouldn't turn it down or off. Of course she started yelling and screaming about her first amendment "rights" and what not before the police escorted her off the plane.
Along with a headphone policy, they should make people blow a PBT before flight and if they are more than 2x over the legal limit to operate a motor vehicle, they shouldn't be allowed on an airline flight because most of the time, they get WORSE after the airplane reaches altitude and have a few more.

 

[VitalyT]

Trams (and other public transport) in Europe are polluted by these type of insuffarable gits. I do not see anything being done about it.

 

[ScottSoapbox]

People need to get some backbone and tell others when they are being rude. That’s how social norms are supposed to be enforced.

But in our land of the “brave” this will help with this problem.

 

[arrowflash]

Trams (and other public transport) in Europe are polluted by these type of insuffarable gits. I do not see anything being done about it.

I think this became much worse after the industry did away with wired headphones/earphones on mobile devices. Many non-tech savvy people, especially older generations, have difficulties dealing with BT devices and/or keep losing wireless phones so they just say screw it.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Trams (and other public transport) in Europe are polluted by these type of insuffarable gits. I do not see anything being done about it.

And people wonder why Americans prefer cars.

I wonder how long before we begin seeing stories about how many millions of gallons of jet fuel Ozempic has saved US airlines?

Someone already did the math, unrelated to fat, that for every 70 pounds it cost an additional $2.79 in fuel per hour of operation for large international flights, not including the extra fuel, 50% of which will be used just to carry the extra fuel.

 

[bviktor]

People need to get some backbone and tell others when they are being rude. That’s how social norms are supposed to be enforced.

But in our land of the “brave” this will help with this problem.

That backbone doesn’t help a lot if it gets you a knife in the back for your bravery though. There’s way too many crazy people in the cities.

 

[trieste1s]

Trams (and other public transport) in Europe are polluted by these type of insuffarable gits. I do not see anything being done about it.

Asia too. Except Japan of course, mostly.

 

[Vanderlinde]

Weird. When you take a flight from Europe to South-america they give you disposable headphones for free.

 

[NicktheWVAHick]

Sadly, the failure of your parents to enforce discipline & social norms is is now requiring the rest of society to do so.

 

[Anton Longshot]

The article doesn't say so I ask it here: do these people get a parachute before getting kicked out?
Of course some would say they don't deserve parachutes and/or good riddance.
I'll keep my opinion to myself.

Yeah it's really a bunch of jokes people don't worry <<<

 

[opckieran]

This is what happens when everybody belongs and everyone is special.

 

[stewi0001]

Any time I have been on a plane, I have never noticed anyone not using headphones. It's hard enough to not hear with the sound of the plane.

 

[stewi0001]

This is what happens when everybody belongs and everyone is special.

No, this is what happens when people think they are better or more privileged than everybody else.

 

[opckieran]

No, this is what happens when people think they are better or more privileged than everybody else.

...That being literally the result of thinking that everybody belongs and everyone is special.

 

[Che Cazzo]

United Airlines may now remove passengers who play audio without headphones

Good and finally.
And, I hope they do it mid-flight as well, to show they really mean it!! That Emergency Exit door is there for a reason....

 

[PXAbstraction]

...That being literally the result of thinking that everybody belongs and everyone is special.

It's hilarious watching people trying to equate others being punished *******s in public to millenial entitlement.

 

[Stiqy]

Can we also remove them from the planet?

 

[bandit8623]

People at the gas station pumping gas with windows down with loud shitty music. people in public on calls with phone on speaker..... all need to be smacked

 

[amghwk]

I just simply can't understand the gross inconsiderate character of those who blast videos and shorts full max audio on their phones in public transport systems - buses, trains, planes, etc. They just don't care the inconvenience caused to others, do they?

I myself have admonished them to use the earphones quite a few times. But I can only fight so much alone. I see others are also annoyed, but they don't dare to question or ask them to either lower the volume or use the earphones, if they have.

There's no excuse to cause annoyance to others sharing the same space.