Many passengers may not be aware of it but airlines have a code of conduct that is a set of rules that people must comply with when they fly. Some are “well duh” rules such as physical assult of a gate agent or flight crew, but others are less obvious.
They are intended to make the flights go as smoothly as possible for everyone on the flight. And one, which PubClub.com calls a common courtesy rule, allows United to kick passengers off the plane or ban them from the airline for life for not using headphones. It’s in its Contract of Carriage, which what United calls its passenger code of conduct. It became effective the first of March.
Rule 21 of the contract, “Refusal of Transport,” says that United “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.” Amendment no. 22 underneath that now includes the note: “Passengers who fail to use headphones while listening to audio or video content.”
The Contract of Carriage also has conduct that can be punished, including violations of the no smoking/vaping policy, passengers who go barefoot in the cabin and anyone who makes phone or video calls once aircraft doors are closed and during the flight.
PubClub.com supports these rules because it is not only annoying but rude for people to talk loudly on their phone (especially when it’s on speaker phone!) in a public place or to play thier music or watch videos with other people around them. The code of conduct exists because some passengers are rude and don’t think of others and without it, then the airlines would have a difficult time in handling unruly and disrespectful people.
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