A major U.S. airline is warning they can now be kicked off for “barebeating” – one of the most annoying in-flight habits. Anyone who travels frequently has likely encountered at least one nightmare passenger. There are the people who cut security lines (“gate lice”), travelers who refuse to calm a screaming child during a long flight, and the particularly unpleasant offenders who stretch their feet into someone else’s space between the seats.
Yet another behavior has increasingly become one of the most complained-about annoyances in the air – passengers playing music, videos, or games out loud on their phones.
The habit has even earned its own nickname: “barebeating.” The term refers to people who listen to audio directly from their device without headphones, forcing everyone around them to hear it.While it may not be as shocking as some other in-flight behavior, it can quickly ruin a quiet cabin environment.
‘Can lead to removal’
Now, one major U.S. airline is making it clear that the behavior won’t be tolerated.
United Airlines (UA) has quietly updated its Refusal of Transport section, the policy that outlines when the airline can “refuse transport on a permanent or temporary basis,” or “have the right to remove from the aircraft at any point.”
The updated policy now lists a new form of disruptive behavior that could lead to removal: “Passengers who fail to use headphones while listening to audio or video content.”
The rule appears alongside other violations that can lead to removal, including interfering with flight attendants, boarding while intoxicated, or engaging in disruptive behavior.
By including the rule in its official passenger policies, United gives flight attendants clear authority to step in when noise becomes disruptive.
