Being forced to listen to someone’s music, video games or TV on a plane can increase travel stress. It could even spoil the latest episode of the show you’ve been waiting to binge when you get home.
That won’t be a problem for passengers on United Airlines flights going forward. In a Friday update to its Contract of Carriage Document, the airline stated that “passengers who fail to use headphones while listening to audio or video content,” may be refused or removed from flights.
“UA has the right to refuse transport, on a permanent basis, any passenger who engages in any of the activities in this Rule,” United said. “In addition, the activities enumerated in this Rule shall constitute a material breach of contract, for which UA shall be excused from performing its obligations under this contract.”
In some cases, United will even provide passengers with a free pair of earbuds for those who forgot to pack some, said its website.
Travel expert Scott Keyes told CBS News that he doesn’t know of any other major airlines with a similar rule, though many encourage passengers to wear headphones while listening to media. Travelers United has even listed “headphoneaphobes” as some of the most irritating parts of flying.
“This is in line with how the vast majority of travelers comport themselves and would like others to comport themselves,” Keyes said of wearing headphones on a plane.
However, there are some exceptions. For example, the surprise, mid-flight ukulele lesson on a Southwest Airlines flight that Audacy reported on back in 2022.
“It’s usually only a small number of folks on airplanes who are making noise by not using headphones, so this is a graceful way to handle those folks,” Keyes added in reference to United’s rule.
Unruly passenger behavior overall increased sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Federal Aviation Administration recording nearly 6,000 incidents in 2021. Though that number has fallen each year since, it was still above pre-pandemic levels last year. Audacy reported on some notable incidents in 2025, including one involving a drunk passenger who yelled racist slurs and another involving a woman who allegedly struck two Alaska Airlines employees.
From Jan. 1 through March 1 of this year, 235 unruly passenger incidents have been reported, per the FAA.