The New United Airlines Policy That Could Get You Kicked Off a Flight
Gizmodo • • business
Key Points:
- United Airlines has updated its Contract of Carriage to include refusing to use headphones when listening to audio or video content as a reason for being denied boarding or removed from a flight.
- The policy change was made on February 27, 2026, coinciding with the airline's expansion of Starlink internet service across its fleet, now available on over 300 aircraft.
- The airline emphasizes that passengers must use headphones to avoid disturbing others, and flight attendants may provide headphones if a passenger forgets theirs.
- This new rule is part of a broader list of 22 safety-related reasons that can result in removal from a United flight, including issues like inappropriate clothing, disruptive behavior, and causing malodorous conditions.
- United
