United Airlines has updated its rules to require passengers to use headphones when watching videos or listening to audio on flights — and those who refuse could be removed from the plane or even permanently banned from the airline.
The Chicago-based carrier quietly revised its contract of carriage on Friday (February 27) to include headphone use as a condition of travel. The change makes United the first major U.S. airline to formally spell out this requirement in its legally binding passenger agreement.
United cited its ongoing expansion of Starlink Wi-Fi service across its fleet as a key reason for formalizing the rule. "We've always encouraged customers to use headphones when listening to audio content — and our Wi-Fi rules already remind customers to use headphones," a United spokesperson said. "With the expansion of Starlink, it seemed like a good time to make that even clearer by adding it to the contract of carriage."
The new language appears in the airline's "Refusal of Transport" section, which gives United the right to deny boarding or remove a passenger from the aircraft "on a permanent or temporary basis." The rule is listed under the safety category, meaning removal "may be necessary" to protect everyone aboard.
Passengers who forget their headphones are not out of luck. United's in-flight entertainment page notes that travelers can request a free pair of wired earbuds from the cabin crew, subject to availability.