Pirate's Cove

Fantastic. Especially since I tend to take United the one or two times I fly a year

United Airlines introduces tough new rule change to battle blood-boiling passenger pet peeve

This annoying travel habit won’t fly with United Airlines.

The major airline recently made clear that passengers who don’t use headphones while listening to electronic devices could get tossed off a flight – or even banned from traveling with the company.

The new rule was quietly added to United’s contract of carriage terms under its “refusal to transport” section late last month — a change first reported on by CBS News.

“Passengers who fail to use headphones while listening to audio or video content,” is one of the infractions that can get a flyer thrown off a flight, along with a litany of other long-established rules like assaulting staff or being barefoot, according to the contract.

I just wondering if this has been happening enough to have the rule, or if United is getting ahead of the issue. I’ve never had someone do this on a plane, at least that I’ve heard, yet. Has anyone else experienced this? I know there are some vids out there of it happening, but, not a lot considering the number of daily flights. I know United encourages people to use headphones before the flight takes off, and can even give them out (though, most phones no longer take wired headphones anymore)

“This is in line with how the vast majority of travelers comport themselves and would like others to comport themselves,” travel expert Scott Keyes told CBS News.

“It’s usually only a small number of folks on airplanes who are making noise by not using headphones, so this is a graceful way to handle those folks.”

The question here is, what happens if they do and refuse to comply with flight attendants? Will they be banned from United?

And, really, I wish airports would do this. Stores. Pretty much everywhere. I have never understood why anyone would want to listen without headphones. The speakers are tiny, not very good (I think phone makers are doing this on purpose these days, not making good ones except for the regular one you would put to your ear). If I’m watching or listening to something I want to hear it, and hear it well. I want the full experience. I want to hear the nuances in the music. I don’t want to hear other people, car noise, etc.

I have 3 different pairs of noise cancelling earbuds: Bose Quiet Comfort for the gym, Sony WF-C710N’s which I use mostly at work for listening (probably should use the Bose. Both have fantastic noise cancellation, Bose sound a bit better, and, I’m only paying half attention to the music at the gym. The Bose case is bigger, and I hate things in my pockets)(The Sony are great for calls, as they go into an aware mode, so, you don’t feel like you’re talking while stuffed up like you have a cold), and Samsung Galaxy Live, which they sadly do not make anymore, because they have good cancellation and do not go in your ear canal. Good for phone calls, also, isolation to help sleep.

Also, some others, like a nice pair of over the ears with noise cancellation. Mostly just at home, if I move the over the ears type falls off my head. Some non-noise cancelling like Bose Sports. I want to hear what I’m listening to. I don’t want to hear what others are listening to. Remember when people hated those Nextell phones? When people did not want to be on speakerphone? Why do people think this is acceptable adult behavior?

Read: United Airlines Nixes Listening To Anything On Speaker Phone »