Passengers who play music or videos without using headphones could face a permanent ban under tough new airline rules. United Airlines has quietly updated its policies to require passengers to wear headphones when listening to any audio or video on personal devices during a flight. Under the revised rules, anyone who plays sound from a phone, tablet or laptop without headphones could be removed from the aircraft and potentially barred from flying with the airline again. The change was introduced through an update to United’s contract of carriage, the document that sets out the rules passengers must follow when they travel. Passengers who refuse to comply risk being denied transport and could even face a permanent ban from flying with United Airlines in the future. Frequent flyers have long complained that the behavior disrupts the cabin and creates tension on already crowded planes. Passengers who forget their headphones will still be able to request a free pair from cabin crew if supplies are available.
