Kyle Wilemon, a TikToker and ex-flight attendant, found himself in a familiar predicament, while boarding a flight from LAX to Nashville. His seatmate decided the cabin was a suitable place to play music out loud, which Wilemon, drawing on his airline experience, was not willing to tolerate. In a video that has since racked up over 160,000 views, he explained exactly how he handled it.
Wilemon simply turned to the man and asked, “When do you plan on turning that off?” When the passenger replied that he did not really like headphones, Wilemon did not argue. He just repeated the question and held steady eye contact until the man eventually switched the music off. As first highlighted by BroBible, Wilemon described his approach as straightforward: a firm, direct question was enough to get results.
His message to followers was plain: “Proper etiquette. Don’t blast your music or your game or your movie on the plane if you are sitting next to me or anywhere.” He added that he sees himself as “teaching one person at a time how to be a good person on a flight.”
Passengers venting in the comments showed he is far from alone on this
The comments section became a wide-ranging airing of travel grievances. One user wrote, “Biggest airplane etiquette violation: reclining your seat. These seats are tight for all of us. Don’t recline….EVER. I will die on this hill!” Another added, “Also I need people to stop taking calls on speaker or FaceTimes. Like we do not need to hear your entire conversation in the airport.”
The frustration is not limited to audio. Amid a string of recent flight incidents drawing online attention, including a couple whose behavior delayed a Southwest flight for an hour, passengers have shown they are increasingly willing to share their experiences publicly.
Airlines have begun responding with policy. As reported by TechRadar, United Airlines updated its contract of carriage on March 6, 2026, adding a clause that requires passengers to use headphones or earbuds for any audio or video content. Failure to comply can result in removal from the aircraft, a temporary suspension, or a permanent ban.
Travel expert Scott Keyes noted it is one of the first instances a US airline has enforced such rules to the point of threatening removal, calling it “a graceful way to handle those folks.” Passengers who forget their headphones can request free earbuds from the crew if available.
United’s updated rules also prohibit voice and video calls after the cabin doors close, and the wearing of offensive clothing, putting it among the most codified conduct policies of any US carrier. Amid similar friction between passengers and airport staff, a marathon runner recently had their race medal confiscated by TSA after agents flagged its spiked design as a potential hazard.
Another viral clip from the account @jaydenarlo captured a separate but related frustration around overhead bin usage. The speaker argued that the clearest indicator of a traveler’s character is whether they place their carry-on in the overhead bin and their personal item under the seat, calling those who hog bin space with small bags “the worst type of person.”
The video resonated with commenters who said they had encountered the same behavior on nearly every flight.
Published: Jun 5, 2026 06:00 am