by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 1:55 PM ET, Tue March 3, 2026
United Airlines has made some changes to its Contract of Carriage, now reserving the right to kick passengers off their planes if they refuse to wear headphones while watching videos or listening to audio.
The change came on February 27, 2026, and was not announced by the airline. Newsweek reported on it on March 3, giving credit to Miami-based traveler Gino Bertuccio.
The new rule is part of “Rule 21 Refusal of Transport” section, which states that the airline “shall have the right to refuse transport on a permanent or temporary basis or shall have the right to remove from the aircraft at any point, any passenger for the following reasons,” which now includes “passengers who fail to use headphones while listening to audio or video content."
According to another section of the contract, the rule was added to the “safety” clause, giving United Airlines the power to refuse or remove a passenger due to safety risks of other passengers or crew.
It’s clear the airline is attempting to enforce more considerate behavior among passengers with the new rule.
TravelPulse contacted United Airlines for comment and more information about the changes.
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