Question about air travel and headphones

[Jodie]

I was pleased to discover that Air Canada now allows use of their entertainment system from gate to gate. No more having your movie turned off suddenly and without warning 30 minutes before you land at your destination! But apparently, you can only do this if you have earbud type headphones, not conventional over-the-ear headphones. If you have regular headphones, you have to put them away during takeoff and landing, as has always been the protocol. This is a Transport Canada regulation, not an Air Canada idiosyncracy.

Just curious, does anybody know the reason why earbuds would be allowed to be used during takeoff and landing, but not conventional headphones?

 

[jim]

I was pleased to discover that Air Canada now allows use of their entertainment system from gate to gate. No more having your movie turned off suddenly and without warning 30 minutes before you land at your destination! But apparently, you can only do this if you have earbud type headphones, not conventional over-the-ear headphones. If you have regular headphones, you have to put them away during takeoff and landing, as has always been the protocol. This is a Transport Canada regulation, not an Air Canada idiosyncracy.

Just curious, does anybody know the reason why earbuds would be allowed to be used during takeoff and landing, but not conventional headphones?

I'm guessing 2 reasons.

#1 ear bud earphones still allow ambient noise to come in so if there is an emergency you can hear someone shouting.

#2 if you need to evacuate headphones tossed in the aisle would cause a trip hazard whereas ear buds would not.

 

[bcflyer]

Actually most emergency calls will be made over the PA system which will go directly to your earphones provided you are plugged into the aircraft entertainment system. The reason for only allowing earbud types is that in the event of an evacuation they will either pull out of your ears or break off. The over the head types are much harder to get off and apparently the wires don't break as easily.

 

[Jodie]

Thanks for the suggestion - I'll have to try those out. At $15, there's nothing to lose

 

[oppai]

I'm guessing 2 reasons.

#1 ear bud earphones still allow ambient noise to come in so if there is an emergency you can hear someone shouting.

#2 if you need to evacuate headphones tossed in the aisle would cause a trip hazard whereas ear buds would not.

#1 - not really, there are many styles that "plug" the ear to restrict ambient noise as that is often what ruins sound quality.

#2 - I think it would be more that over the ear type are easier to be dislodged and weigh more and the more things flying around the cabin the more dangerous.

 

[jackcb]

something to do with it being harder to strangle oneself with earbuds?

 

[Dionysus]

Bose over ear noise cancelling headphones

Just flew in on AC to Clgy and used my Bose over ear headphones gate to gate. Was told they don't allow them over both ears during take off and landing because they muffle external noise and you may not hear emergency instructions. To which I asked, wouldn't said instructions come through the audio system? She said not always. So, I used one side only during takeoff and landing. They are the best noise cancelling headphones in the world.

 

[Dionysus]

"Active Noise Reduction - ANR circuitry only works on one steady, droning noise, like an airplane engine. Sound Quality - ANR headphones costing $300 or more for the most part do offer better sound quality than ANR headphones costing under $100. We like to emphasize, only a person who does virtually all of their listening in a noisy environment like an airplane, should consider purchasing a $300 ANR headphone! The rest of us can purchase a less expensive ANR headphone for the times that we travel, then use the saved money to purchase a good "Open" headphone for use at home."

I use my Bose on the plane only.