No Headphones? United Airlines Can Now Ban You For Playing Audio Out Loud

No Headphones? United Airlines Can Now Ban You for Playing Audio Out Loud

Last updated: 2026/03/06 at 5:51 AM

News Room Published 6 March 2026

The next time you get on a United Airlines flight, make sure you put on your headphones to listen to music or watch videos. According to the airline’s updated Contract of Carriage, it has “the right to refuse transport on a permanent or temporary basis” to passengers who fail to do so.

CBS News spotted the update after the document was revised on Feb. 27. Under the new rule, United also has the right to remove a passenger “from the aircraft at any point” if they play audio out loud.

Passengers who get banned from travel or booted off the plane for this violation may be eligible for a refund upon request, United adds.

There’s some respite for those who forget to carry their headphones, though. The airline’s website says passengers can request a free pair of earbuds, and the carrier will provide them if available.

A company spokesperson tells The Verge that it has always requested passengers to use headphones in-flight. With Starlink’s in-flight Wi-Fi service rolling out last year, it was a good time to formalize the requirement, the spokesperson added. On a United flight with Starlink access we took last year, we saw average download speeds of nearly 95Mbps, which is more than enough to stream content online.

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According to CBS, United may be the first major US airline to adopt such a rule. Many have welcomed the move on social media.

“Nothing wrong with that. Some people have no concept that the people around them don’t want to hear whatever c**p they’re listening to. It’s called being considerate,” writes a Redditor. “As a flight attendant; we have to tell people literally every flight. It makes our jobs harder when we’re stuck policing common courtesy instead of just focusing on service & safety,” wrote another.