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Businesses Transportation

Flying Was Already the Worst. Then America Stopped Using Headphones. 220

Airports are facing a growing nuisance as travelers increasingly watch videos and take calls on speakerphone without headphones, creating tension among passengers at gates and lounges.

Flight attendants at American Airlines, Alaska Air, and Delta have begun addressing the issue through announcements and website notices, though enforcement remains challenging, WSJ reports. Passengers report confrontations rarely end well, with offenders often dismissive or hostile when asked to use headphones. The story adds: The headphones-optional attitude isn't limited to air travel. Podcasts and sports games blare in open-plan offices. You can catch snippets of conversations on the sidewalk, some phones held aloft for video calls. Transit authorities in big cities have struggled to get passengers to keep their music to themselves on subways and commuter trains.

Witnesses say offenders span the generational and socioeconomic spectrum, from grandparents on speakerphone to toddlers on iPads and from first class to coach.

Air travel already overloads the senses with a cacophony of boarding announcements, beeping vehicles and crying babies. U.S. airlines generally don't allow voice and video calls in the air. But by takeoff, the damage has been done.

Flying Was Already the Worst. Then America Stopped Using Headphones.

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  • by usedtobestine ( 7476084 ) on Thursday December 26, 2024 @06:13AM (#65040023)

    It happens in restarurants and bars and everywhere, really. I don't know why we aren't allowed to use tasers on their electronics.

    • by quonset ( 4839537 ) on Thursday December 26, 2024 @06:28AM (#65040045)

      Electronics? You're not thinking big enough.

    • I think it's just the result of decades of education. Individualism, "me first", children raised as kings and queens. You get the fruits or what you sowed now.
      • I think it's just a result of an ignorant populace, and by that, I mean you.

        We have records of people complaining about children going back thousands of years, stating that's they're disrespectful to their elders, rude, and lazy. There has been no actual change in younger people. Older people are still old grumps because their bones hurt, and comically imagine that their generation was staid, sedate, and respectful at all times.

        Same as it ever was. Same as it ever was. Same as it...

        • by Targon ( 17348 )

          Young people showing disrespect isn't new, but generally, those young people who show disrespect often don't get very far when it comes to work or business until they learn how to show respect to other people. In the past, if someone were to break the rules, they would get kicked off a plane for disrupting operations.

        • It's not the same as ever. Things change and yes some changes are revertive in nature i.e. repeating pasterns but for one, this isn't about "kids". They may be a part of it, but it's about people. People used to consider their kids their own responsibility and if a kid was loud or crying they would try to remove the child to a place were the child could calm down or disturb people less. Now, the attitude seems to be F everyone, kids will be kids, not my problem if my kid is bothering you and/or everyone els

    • by markdavis ( 642305 ) on Thursday December 26, 2024 @07:19AM (#65040137)

      I came on comments to post the same thing. Has nothing to do with planes. PEOPLE ARE FREAKING RUDE EVERYWHERE NOW with portable electronics. Speakerphone, "music", sound-effects, game audio, video audio, alarms/alerts/ringtones, at the store, parks, at work, restaurants, waiting rooms, during meetings, everywhere. All it takes is a relatively small number of rude people to ruin things everywhere.

      At work, we even put signs on every table in the lunch room to not play audible sounds through electronic devices without headphones and many people STILL ignore them.

      I am not sure the theory. Part of me thinks some people do this intentionally to annoy others as some type of control thing, getting perverse satisfaction out of annoying others. Sometimes I think some people are just incredibly clueless about anyone else around them.

      I am almost to the point I wish we could just ban manufacturers from installing speakers in all portable devices, including small bluetooth/input speakers, forcing silence unless the user chooses to use earphones or headphones. Oh, and while we are at it, force inclusion of the STANDARD 3.5mm headphone jack so there is no dependency on some other battery-laden device. Of course this is all fantasy.

      Or perhaps we just need to work harder on teaching people morals- like "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" and also that different people have different levels of annoyance (what might seem OK to you is not necessarily OK to others).

      • I recently saw a comment saying that young ones are seeing others as NPCs, but I guess it's not the main cause of carelessness.
        • by MacMann ( 7518492 ) on Thursday December 26, 2024 @08:55AM (#65040309)

          I recently saw a comment saying that young ones are seeing others as NPCs, but I guess it's not the main cause of carelessness.

          I recall reading about this happening in China, Japan, and/or Korea largely because so many children are growing up without siblings. There's a term for this behavior that translates to something like "little prince/princess". Without siblings there's little forcing them to learn to share, be that toys, spaces, time and attention from parents, or much else. I would think with people locking themselves up at home over scares of getting sick from COVID-19, or other diseases, that this has only fed into this behavior.

          Children aren't learning how to interact with others. They get wrapped up in their own world and think of others, except perhaps parents and other close family, as NPCs.

      • Oh, and while we are at it, force inclusion of the STANDARD 3.5mm headphone jack so there is no dependency on some other battery-laden device.

        USB-C is perfectly capable of providing analog audio for headphones, no batteries required, and headphones with a STANDARD USB-C jack can be found in every shop that sells electronics. If batteries bother people then they are in luck, USB-C provides power for noise cancelling headphones (or whatever) in addition to analog audio. If for some reason people insist on using a set of headphones that have a 1/8" jack then a USB-C adapter can be had for $8 at these same stores that they get their cell phones. I

        • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

          by omnichad ( 1198475 )

          Apple didn't remove the headphone jack because of money. They do it for image. Nobody using an Apple product should be seen using a cord seems to be their motto. That's why you have to flip the mouse over to plug in the charger. Can't be seen using a wired mouse on a modern Apple device.

          But it is also easier to waterproof the USB-C standard vs the headphone jack with a spring-loaded pin. And they decided to end their practice of denying most warranty claims for "water damage" by making the phones mostl

      • I challenge you to find a public space without noise pollution, provided by whoever manages the space. Bars, restaurants, waiting rooms, elevators, shops, malls, everywhere! "Background" "music"? Airports are the worst, piling on with additinal stressors. Then you have the over-amplified buskers and bell-ringing santas.

        Noise pollution is air pollution. It is fair that I do not blow smoke in your nose, so you don't blow noise in my ears. Get earbuds.

        • by markdavis ( 642305 ) on Thursday December 26, 2024 @11:11AM (#65040629)

          There is a distinct difference between loud, tiny-speaker sound and real-life sounds. It is annoyingly noticeable and demands attention. This is especially true for some people (not everyone is the same), and, unfortunately, I am one of those (and certainly not alone).

          And in a waiting room, or other mostly quiet places, noise is noise- phone noise is especially irritating.

          Plus, an apparent argument that there is already noise so even more noise is OK is not a great one.

      • Bluetooth speakers are the work of he devil.

        Fight me.

        P.S. I prefer the Silver Rule to the Golden Rule.

    • Half of America voted for Trump. Nothing surprises me how inconsiderate people can be anymore. Loud blaring headphones or otherwise.

    • Hiking trails (Score:5, Insightful)

      by cuda13579 ( 1060440 ) on Thursday December 26, 2024 @08:58AM (#65040311)

      It's everywhere...but it really gripes me on walking/hiking trails. Public transit is already miserable...but why noise-pollute nature? It's ridiculously selfish...

      I mean, why are you on a nature trail if you're not there to enjoy the natural sights and sounds? Just go to a gym.

      • I think that a lot of people forgot basic manners while they were locked in their homes by themselves in 2020 and 2021. It's probably going to take awhile until we get that back.

    • by Monoman ( 8745 )

      Obligatory - https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]

  • Courage (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 26, 2024 @06:21AM (#65040037)

    Marketing geniuses removed the headphone jack.

    • by MrKevvy ( 85565 )

      re: "Marketing geniuses removed the headphone jack."

      USB headphones can be had at dollar stores, and Bluetooth earbuds are ubiquitous. No, I think the answer is just that many people are selfish, inconsiderate, entitled assholes and don't feel the need to repress it anymore.

      I encountered a couple of these at a large restaurant... two gangstas (whom my wife was afraid was going to shoot me) who pulled out their multiple smartphones and insisted on playing tinkytinky hiphop that was far too popular a couple of

    • Horseshit. 99% of these people own wireless earphones which are much easier to carry around than corded garbage they used to use. Blaming it on the headphone socket is asinine and just excusing bad behaviour.

    • Marketing geniuses did not prevent someone from turning off the fucking speakerphone and holding the thing to their ear.

      Stop trying to blame bad behavior on tangential and ridiculous 8-year-old excuses. Those headphone jacks have been gone for a long time, and ever since they went away there have been simple ways to continue using wired headphones on every single device where a 3.5mm TRS used to be.

  • Just ask? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Fons_de_spons ( 1311177 ) on Thursday December 26, 2024 @06:40AM (#65040053)
    I have good experiences asking people to put the volume down. Give them a few minutes to figure it out themselves. Then just ask. Usually they are happy when I show them how to enable subtitles. Do a little chat to waive off the annoyance. I notice that it annoys a lot of people so there will be backup in case they don't behave.
    • I do tech support for far too many hours out of my day and at least get paid for it. I shouldn't then have to do tech support for free to get people to behave like decent human beings during the few hours of downtime I do get.

  • don't let them fly
  • Not a US problem (Score:5, Informative)

    by thegarbz ( 1787294 ) on Thursday December 26, 2024 @06:55AM (#65040081)

    I've seen this on a bus in Zhuhai. I've seen this in the metro in Amsterdam. I've seen it in a restaurant in Dakar, I've seen it in Melbourne, I've seen it in Baku. This is a universal issue covering not US airports, but rather anywhere on the planet where people have phone coverage.

    • by madbrain ( 11432 )

      You don't even need coverage. Smartphones are perfectly capable of making sound/music/noise without network access.

    • Trump sure gets around.
  • by Akardam ( 186995 ) on Thursday December 26, 2024 @07:05AM (#65040099)

    Doing the Vulcan neck-pinch on the punk on the bus with the boombox was a good start...

  • Cars (Score:4, Insightful)

    by rally2xs ( 1093023 ) on Thursday December 26, 2024 @07:05AM (#65040101)

    Now, lets go back to wondering why Americans cling to their cars, and drive everywhere instead of taking public transportation. When driving your car, you can choose who to travel with, or to travel alone, adjust the volume and the program for your entertainment, plus choose the environmental temperature and whether to open a window. There are no bratty kids or overbearing adults, you can choose your route to the maximum degree, stop where you want to take pictures or for some comfort, and observe a variety of beauty invisible from 24,000 feet. Public transport has always sucked, still sucks, will always suck. Burn at the stake those who suggest we give up our cars and take buses, trains, planes, etc. even if its severity falls short of justice. There's hardly a more effective way to destroy the enjoyment of life than being forced to travel with strangers. Plus in your car, you can bring an effective defense to deal with truly dangerous folks. Cars are just universally more enjoyable than anything other than maybe your own airplane.

    • Cars also need space to be parked in the cities. I understand that suburban USA is car centric but cities where people density is high need mass transport. Otherwise you need a lot of space invested in just car parking and even roads. I assume suburban dwellers do not pay for city infrastructures. So let us be excellent to each other and keep audible noise as quiet as you can when you are in a situation where many people are around. Treat everybody else as you would like them to treat yourself.
    • There's hardly a more effective way to destroy the enjoyment of life than being forced to travel with strangers.

      Paving over nature [imgur.com] to build car infrastructure (i.e. roads and parking) is actually a really effective way to to destroy the enjoyment of life!

      Plus in your car, you can bring an effective defense to deal with truly dangerous folks.

      I'm not so sure, because a road rage incident between a car and a bus or a train cannot end well for the car!

      • by kenh ( 9056 )

        I'm not aware of any road rage incidents involving buses or trains - please elaborate...

        I know of accident involving buses and trains colliding with cars, but I've never heard them referred to as "road rage".

    • Now, lets go back to wondering why Americans cling to their cars, and drive everywhere instead of taking public transportation.

      No let's not. I know it will upset your narrative but this problem is not American, and yet outside of America there isn't such a culture to cling to cars. So two possible options: a) everyone outside of America is more tolerant of other people (very unlikely), b) your narrative is rubbish and this isn't remotely the reason people are clinging on to cars. But if you want to stick to TFA's point, when was the last time you drove your car into a plane to avoid the people at the checkin queue?

  • by TheNarrator ( 200498 ) on Thursday December 26, 2024 @07:28AM (#65040145)

    I go up to them and look over their shoulder and say, "WOW That thing your watching is so interesting!" Then I get an annoyed look back, and I say, "well you had it on speaker, so I thought you were interested in sharing it with everyone here."

    • by MrKaos ( 858439 ) on Thursday December 26, 2024 @07:45AM (#65040179) Journal

      I go up to them and look over their shoulder and say, "WOW That thing your watching is so interesting!"

      Occasionally I treat their phone call as if they are speaking to me and then they have to deal with two conversations whilst explaining to whoever they are talking to that they are talking to someone else and then you agree with them that whoever is interrupting our conversation is a jerk. The confused look on their face is priceless.

    • if the guy in the stall next to me is making a phone call, I try really hard to fart and eject as loudly as possible so his conversation partner can enjoy the experience. I may even throw in some groans or even "Who does number two work for?"
    • "well you had it on speaker, so I thought you were interested in sharing it with everyone here."

      We should put RIAA/MPAA etc. after these guys for illegal sharing of copyrighted content. Ditto for all your neighbours that play music so loud you can identify the songs.

  • Me Me Me Me and MEE! (Score:4, Informative)

    by Fly Swatter ( 30498 ) on Thursday December 26, 2024 @07:41AM (#65040163) Homepage
    We are in the me age. Because fuck anyone else trying to have a pleasant or relaxing day. Or watch a movie. Or eat food.
  • I don't know why anyone would avoid wearing headphones in the office. I listen to podcasts all of the time with headphones. People generally avoid bothering me because they assume I'm on a conference call.
    • by madbrain ( 11432 )

      They still give them on most international flights, but they are the wired kind. They can't be used on most smartphones.
      I always pack a pair of noise canceling Sony headphones. It takes a bunch of space, though.

  • by devslash0 ( 4203435 ) on Thursday December 26, 2024 @08:23AM (#65040263)

    People who hold their phone in their hand in front of their mouth with the loudspeaker on. It's a bloody phone, a handset - use it as it's intended and out it against your ear! Other people have no interest in hearing your conversation!

  • I can take calls and listen to podcasts on my hearing aids. (Music generally sucks on 'em).

    One cool unadvertised feature: you can't tell whether I'm having an argument on the phone or a genuine psychotic break,

  • Was recently on the subway near a guy who was sound asleep and still watching a gun and explosion heavy action movie at full volume.
  • If enforcement is hard and dangerous for flight attendants' safety, the simple answer is to put the asshole on a no-fly list for a year and explain exactly why said asshole is on the no-fly list next time they try to board a plane.

    "Oh, you want to go back home? Have fun renting a car to cross the Atlantic..."

  • Because you're supposed to talk to your computer, and have it talk back, for all interactions.

    You can have it talk back on your headphones, but you can't talk to it without annoying everyone around you.

  • by Bruce66423 ( 1678196 ) on Thursday December 26, 2024 @10:05AM (#65040481)

    “A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot.”

      Robert A. Heinlein, Friday

    • by shilly ( 142940 )

      I’d forgotten that quote. He was so quotable! I was trying to remember where I’d seen the phrase about Nehemiah Scudder where Heinlein says something like “In 2100, there was no election” — making a point about the fragility of American democracy in the face of a seductive theocrat. I thought it was in Revolt in 2100, but I couldn’t find it

  • Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.

    Max Ehrmann

  • My coworker/manager is the absolute WORST. We share an office and she is SO LOUD. I'll be on a conference call and she just starts randomly walking around and screaming at the top of her lungs. This goes on for several minutes and then she lays down on my placebo keyboard and goes to sleep, exhausted by her efforts.

    Her name is Gracie, she's a tiny dwarf cat, 4 pounds soaking wet, and the best M1 I've ever had. This is the most compelling argument I can make for working remotely.

  • by TigerPlish ( 174064 ) on Thursday December 26, 2024 @10:16AM (#65040499)

    Back Then: Boomboxes and "portable radios."

    Today: Watching videos and taking calls on speakerphone without headphones. Yes, why hold up the phone to your ear when you can broadcast your call to the entire cold cuts aisle in the supermarket.

    This is one of the biggest reasons I'm such an antisocial prick. I hated the ear-rape back then, and I loathe it even harder now.

    There was a break in the late 80's to late 00's, with the walkman and descendants, but now we've regressed back to the ear-rape.

    Fucking hate it.

  • by nehumanuscrede ( 624750 ) on Thursday December 26, 2024 @10:21AM (#65040509)

    This is an issue that can be found everywhere in Society.

    Restaurants:

    Parents and kids alike are on their phones / tablets watching the game, talking via speakerphone, playing a videogame, etc.
    All of it with the volume cranked up so everyone within twenty meters gets to enjoy it as well. If kids aren't given said electronic
    babysitting devices, they're running around the restaurant in full heathen mode after their third soda.

    Movie Theaters:

    People playing with their phones, talking and / or being generally disruptive during the show. Same parents letting their same heathen
    children do the same heathen behaviors as observed in restaurants.

    Driving:

    Red lights, stop signs and speed limits are entirely optional anymore. Light can be red for five seconds and you can count on several
    vehicles that will blatantly run it. Even though your light has been green for some time, you had best pay close attention to the cross
    traffic who doesn't give a shit if it's your turn to go or not. This problem became MUCH worse post-pandemic and Law Enforcement
    could give a shit about any of it. If the speed limit is 65mph and you're not doing at least 80, you become a road-rage target for
    everyone around you. I finally gave up and have a forward / read dashcam installed just to have a record of the stupidity when it
    happens.

    Flying:

    Same problem as above with phones / tablets though we can add in people who drape their hair over the seat into your space, folks
    who take off their shoes and try to prop their feet up on your armrest, the lady who demands you give up the seat you paid for various
    reasons that make no sense, the folks who bring their 1-yr old who can't pressure equalize their own ears and is guaranteed to scream
    the entire flight, the people who want to fight over everything and finally the drunks.

    At this point, I pretty much avoid as much of society as I can. I only go out when absolutely necessary and I don't linger when I do.

    It's like the majority of human society has devolved into a bunch of rude, entitled, selfish assholes who annoy the shit out of everyone within
    their immediate vicinity because there are no longer any consequences for said. The people who actually have the authority to deal
    with it ( airline staff, restaurant staff, law enforcement, etc ) simply either: cannot be bothered, have been told not to intervene or simply
    don't want the confrontation that is usually the end result of trying to ask someone nicely to quit annoying everyone else. :|

    How do you change the behavior of people on a scale this size ?

    More importantly, how the f*ck did it get this bad ?

    • the folks who bring their 1-yr old who can't pressure equalize their own ears and is guaranteed to scream the entire flight

      That's always been a thing, and the problem is you can't tell until it's too late. I guarantee you it's worse for the baby than for you.

  • and have them on the seats - everyone put them on. now these are uncomfortable earbuds they have to ask for, and then collect after every flight.

    Perhaps if they give people something in exchange they would comply? e.g. a 1 hour in-flight internet access or a snack, which cost virtually nothing to the airline.

    I'm all for people being considerate, but without other passengers giving peer pressures, no level of enforcement is going to work. So, without that, perhaps the airline should try carrots as wel

    • Solution: Bluetooth.

      Every seat gets its own random Bluetooth auth code, you pair whatever the hell you want with it. And if you don't use earbuds, but, say, blast it out your damn phone, the attendant comes by to inform you you've just been charged for overpriced 'complimentary' Bluetooth earbuds and hands you a package.

  • by Wolfier ( 94144 ) on Thursday December 26, 2024 @10:31AM (#65040519)
    If someone is having a loud conversation on their phone, JOIN their conversation in unexpected time.

    annoying passenger in lounge on phone: you know what, yesterday, .... and he was annoying!
    me: yeah, I know, it's not just your nephew, mine is annoying too!
    annoying passenger in lounge on phone [became quiet and cowered in corner]
    • When such an action results in your getting beaten up you know that we've descended to the next level of nastiness in our society.

      “A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot.”

          Robert A. Heinlein, Friday

    • by dskoll ( 99328 )

      Nice! My singing teacher starts singing, and being a singing teacher... she really knows how to project. She says this is almost always successful.

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