United Airlines has updated its contract of carriage, explicitly stating that passengers who fail to use headphones while listening to audio or video content can be refused travel or removed from flights. This policy targets the rising number of unruly passenger incidents, which the FAA reported exceeded 1,600 last year, up from pre-pandemic levels despite a slight decrease from 2021's record high. United's move formalizes a common courtesy issue, aiming to reduce public noise nuisances that have become more frequent in recent years.

The airline's action reflects a growing industry focus on passenger behavior management, though enforcement specifics remain unclear.