United can now ban passengers who listen to audio and video without headphones

The inside of a plane is a cramped space where passengers have to put up with everything from other travelers’ body odors to their own loud snoring. But they may no longer have to listen to another passenger’s music, games or movies, at least, not on United Airlines.

United added A Clause in its transportation rules Which states that it has the right to remove any “passengers who fail to use headphones while listening to audio or video content” from the aircraft at any time.

A United representative told CNET that the language was added on February 27 and that “we always encourage customers to use headphones when listening to audio content — and our Wi-Fi rules already remind customers to use headphones.”

Passengers without headphones can ask cabin crew for a complimentary pair of wired headphones, subject to availability.

While this may not prevent people from using their devices without headphones, the policy change gives crew members the legal authority to take action if someone ignores requests to turn off loud sound.

The representative of the United States added that with the start of implementation Starlink on United planes“It seems like the right time” to clarify travel conditions as more people start streaming.

Depending on the severity of the crime, United says it can take steps ranging from voiding a passenger’s ticket to deleting a passenger’s frequent flyer miles, to banning and prosecuting the passenger.

But not all flight rules regarding courtesy and noise are applied uniformly. The rules also prohibit voice calls once the cabin doors are closed, yet passengers often continue phone conversations until takeoff without clear enforcement.

United is one of the largest airlines in the United States, coming in second behind Delta in The Points Guy’s 2025 Rating of the best airlines.