Flying United? You must now use headphones or risk removal, flying ban.

Planning to listen to music, watch a video or scroll sound-filled social media feeds during your next airline flight?

United Airlines told would-be passengers this week they needed to wear headphones, raising the possibility of other airlines following suit.

In an amendment to its "Contract of Carriage" rules for travelers, United announced all passengers must now wear headphones when listening to or using an in-flight device.

The new rules also are outlined for members using United clubs and lounges. They read: "As a courtesy to other guests, headphones or earbuds must be worn using personal devices such as smartphones, tablets and other electronic, and using the speaker feature on any electronic device is not permitted."

The amended terms warned passengers who don't comply with the new headphone requirement: "UA 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." 

The airline said the move was designed to limit noise in plane cabins.

It was not immediately clear on Wednesday if other airlines would follow suit.

The new terms also apply to passengers making voice or video calls.

"Passengers who are unwilling to follow UA's policies that prohibit voice or video calls" could face temporary or permanent bans — or removal from a flight, the airline said.

Those regulations detail the do's and don't's for everything ranging from archery equipment to sports gear to bowling balls.

While most airlines request passengers use headphones for all in-flight entertainment, as well as sound-emitting personal devices, it appears United is the only airline to have updated its legal "Contract of Carriage" rules to include a specific ban on usage without headphones — and outline passenger penalties. Carriers such as Southwest and Delta "strongly" encourage passengers to use headphones, experts said, though those carriers do not include specific language requiring the use — or the penalties for passengers who don’t.

However, Delta, which last modified its "Contract of Carriage" rules on Oct. 8, defines many potential passenger offenses — everything from intoxication and drug usage to a ban of passengers going barefoot on flights — and those rules do cite code of conduct requirements, noting passengers who "offend or are an annoyance" to other passengers may be cited by crew for compliance violations.

And the Federal Aviation Administration notes all passengers must comply with all crew member instructions during flights — not just seat belt and safety briefing requests, but any issue that interferes with crew member duties or in-flight cabin decorum that threatens those duties — and that failure to do so is a violation of federal law.

It also can result in civil penalties of up to $37,000 per violation.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a Newsday reporter since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press, Society of the Silurians and National Headliner Awards for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing. He is the author of “Swee'pea,” about New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. His debut crime novel, “For Nothing Is Hidden,” rooted in 1950s Long Island, was released in October 2025.