Originally Posted by Tango

Airlines have always claimed they are the one's who are in the best position to regulate themselves since they are in the business of flying and it would not be in their best interest to fly an unsafe airline. That being said, the system has been set up for each airline to work with their FAA rep to write and enfore their own set of regulations. Each airline proposes its own rules and regualtions to the their FAA rep and the FAA rep usually signs off on it.
Some one who is on the Alaska payroll proposed a rule that Bose headsets need to be removed for take off's and landings. You can tell your passengers that it is a FAA rule (true) but the rule was proposed by someone on the Alaska payroll.