United Airlines has updated its “Contract of Carriage” to include a line that requires passengers to wear headphones while listening to audio and video content on flights, CBS News reports.
Under the updated contract, United can “refuse transport on a permanent or temporary basis” to passengers who don’t follow a list of rules, which now includes listening to audio without wearing headphones. The policy also states that United can remove those passengers from the aircraft “at any point.”
United spokesperson Stella Balaskas confirmed in a statement to The Verge that the policy was updated on February 27th, saying, “We’ve always encouraged customers to use headphones when listening to audio content – and our Wi-Fi rules already remind customers to use headphones.” Balaskas added that the expansion of Starlink to United flights last year made this “a good time” to reinforce the airline’s headphones requirement by adding it to its contract of carriage.
According to United’s website, passengers who don’t have headphones are able to request a free pair of earbuds, “if they’re available.”
