“Top US Airline Updates Policy to Remove Passengers for Inappropriate Behavior”

On February 27, 2026, United Airlines officially updated its Contract of Carriage to include a formal requirement that passengers use headphones when listening to audio or video on personal devices during flights.

The Contract of Carriage is the legally binding agreement between United and its passengers, outlining the conditions under which the airline provides transportation services.

United’s updated policy now lists failing to use headphones under Rule 21 — the “Refusal of Transport” section — alongside other behaviors that could lead to removal from a flight.

Under this rule, United can now deny boarding, remove passengers mid‑flight, or refuse to transport them in the future if they continue playing audio without headphones.

Before this change, United — like many other airlines — encouraged passengers to use headphones but had not made headphone use a strictly enforceable contractual condition.

A United Airlines spokesperson said the rule change was prompted in part by the expansion of Starlink high‑speed Wi‑Fi across its fleet, which makes streaming content more common on flights.

Starlink’s improved connectivity means more passengers watch videos or listen to music in‑flight, increasing the likelihood that loud device audio would disturb others.

The airline clarified that it “has always encouraged customers to use headphones when listening to audio content” and that the wired headphone recommendation was already included in Wi‑Fi usage guidelines.

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