Not using headphones on a flight? This airline may not let you fly

The change was introduced in February under the airline's "refusal to transport" section, which lists circumstances under which passengers can be denied travel or removed from a plane.

One of the most common issues passengers encounter while flying is fellow travellers playing audio or videos aloud on their devices. But now, United Airlines has addressed the issue by warning that those who refrain from using headphones while listening to content could face serious consequences – including being removed from a flight or even banned from travelling with the carrier.

The airline has updated its contract of carriage to include the rule, The New York Post reports, citing CBS News. The change was introduced in February under United Airlines’s “refusal to transport” section, which lists circumstances under which passengers can be denied travel or removed from a plane.

Under the updated provision, “Passengers who fail to use headphones while listening to audio or video content” may be taken off a flight. The clause appears along with other long-standing violations, such as assaulting airline staff or travelling barefoot.

“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 spokesperson for United Airlines told The New York Post.

“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 rep added.

Passengers who forget to bring headphones may still have an option. The airline’s website said that crew members can provide complimentary earbuds upon request.