'I had to "apologize"... through gritted teeth': Passenger confronts woman playing loud music on her phone while on an airplane

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Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Jun 30, 2023 5:00 PM EDT

Genuine question for those who play music out loud in public places: why do you do it? 

Whenever I see people walking around blasting music on their phones, I usually assume they don't have headphones. From my personal experience, I know how easy it is to break, lose, or forget your headphones, leaving you without audio entertainment for a day. How annoying! Maybe that person blasting music on the train works several jobs and doesn't have a lot of personal time to enjoy music in their own home. But that's a strong maybe — the person could just be an average dude lacking in self awareness. 

However, I draw the line at games. I don't understand why you need loud sound to enjoy your mobile game. If you forget your earbuds for that, just play on silent, for the sake of everyone around you!

This woman on a flight took it to the next level, sparking a debate about headphone etiquette and the rules of flying. She decided to take a red eye flight, boarding at 11PM, and then thought it would be the perfect time to settle in and watch a movie. Out loud. 

Since it was nearly midnight, this obviously didn't fly with some passengers, such as the OP of this tale, u/Beginning_Arrival_23. I'm curious if the OP left out any details, because they claim that if they didn't apologize, they might be penalized pretty severely by the airline. I wonder if there was any kind of escalation; there are two sides to every story, after all. 

Next up, this worker created a (literally) crafty loophole to get around her strict boss's rules. 

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  • 01
    Cloud
    via Natali Quijano on Unsplash
  • 02
    Font - to EB Made to apologize playing her phone out loud on nighttime flight RANT Originally posted elsewhere but thought this sup would appreciate it.
    via u/Beginning_Arrival_23
  • 03
    Font - Recently on a late evening (11 pm) flight back from holidays and was seated beside a middle aged woman who, mid-flight (12-1 AM), took out her phone and began playing a film without headphones. The media was loud enough to hear through my own headphones so in irritation I tapped her shoulder and asked "do you not have any headphones?" which triggered a defensive rant about being able to listen to what I want!' and 'you hit me!' (I didn't).
    via u/Beginning_Arrival_23
  • 04
    Font - The flight attendant came by to investigate and offered to move the woman. The attendant then returned to ask the person in the row in front of me whether she heard the media. They couldn't hear anything through their Airpod Pros. Therefore, it was determined the media was not loud and I had to 'apologise' to the offender (through gritted teeth because I don't want to be put on a no fly list over this clownery) who happily continued playing her film for her new neighbours to hear.
    via u/Beginning_Arrival_23
  • 05
    Font - Is this now standard practice on flights? I was always under the impression personal media needed to be used with head or earphones but maybe I'm just a dinosaur who hasn't flown in awhile and I don't know what constitutes being 'rude' anymore. I guess what I want to ask is; would you have issue with someone playing music/media out loud on the flight and AITA here or is she the EB?
    via u/Beginning_Arrival_23
  • 06
    Font - Floptimas Ploptimas No, she is the bi sure. No one with an ounce of courtesy plays their media in a public space without headphones. I would have been VERY sty. for
    via u/FloptimasPloptimas
  • 07
    Font - abbynicoleh I won't even play media without headphones when I'm home ALONE.. I can't imagine walking through life with this level of entitlement and lack of regard for others
    via u/abbynicoleh
  • 08
    Font - mr_greenmash. I see a lot of people doing it on buses and metros too. They're mostly kids/teens though
    via u/mr_greenmash
  • 09
    Font - tydust I've been on two flights recently where the flight attendant has (sometimes more than once) told a passenger they need to have headphones. No mention of HOW loud, just that you can't have volume at all. The FA was wrong in your case.
    via u/tydust
  • 10
    Font - oneoneeightsixnine. I just went on a short trip and on both flights at takeoff and when we got to cruising altitude the flight attendant specifically mentioned having to wear headphones to the whole plane. Must be happening a lot!
    via u/oneoneeightsixnine
  • 11
    Font - leon_gonfishun The flight attendant screwed up here too. Make you apologize? That is a weird power flex.
    via u/leon_gonfishun
  • 12
    Product - ZekalMacabre +2. I would have refused to apologize.
    via u/ZekalMacabre
  • 13
    Font - Blynn1228 As a former FA (I left the industry In March after 7 years) and I can promise you that's not normal. That lady with her loud a phone would've had 2 options, headphones or that volume to a ZERO. It's not anyone else's problem she 1) doesn't have any 2) didn't bring any. Other passengers shouldn't have to suffer from her selfishness ESP on a late haul flight. Our company even had it programmed in our audio announcements ... sorry you had to deal with that and honestly what fawking
    via u/Blynn1228
  • 14
    Font - CoderJoe1 "I'm so sorry I politely requested you use earphones when sitting next to me. I now see it was ridiculous for me to expect you to behave like an adult and act like you have any sense of decorum."
    via u/CoderJoe1
  • 15
    Font - PizzaNuggies +2. What airline was this? So, if everyone starts doing this the flight attendant doesn't see the problem that would cause?
    via u/PizzaNuggies
  • 16
    Font - measaqueen You are an adult who is in the right and owe no one an apology. A simple "no thank you", putting your ear buds in, and closing your eyes would have been the response to the flight attendant I would have given.
    via u/measaqueen
  • 17
    Font - hammtronic +2. If I had to guess the woman next to you made a stink with the flight attendant who was tired and opted for the path of least resistance which would be to have you provide an insincere apology so the FA could get on with their job
    via u/hammtronic
  • 18
    Font - OD funnyman4000 +2. If someone is so unstable to play a movie on a crowded plane, I'd be scared to tap them. They are most definitely looking for confrontation. I would have gotten the flight attendant so she could witness it herself. None of your other neighbors had your back? If it was that loud you definitely would have had ppl stand up for you.
    via u/funnyman4000

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planes Movie flight movies phone plane apology entitled flights airplane entitled people annoying seats headphones annoying people
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