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Headphones for watching flight movies

I wear hearing aids and just can’t wear the earbuds they give you, I tried buying some that wrap around the ear, but with my glasses and hearing aids, it’s just too much.

I think I’m going to need some over the ear head phi es and use their movie jack.

Any recommendation? Thanks!

Posted by
417 posts

Maybe check with your airline what they provide - for instance, British Airways provides over the ear headphones, so perhaps US airlines do too on long-haul flights?

Posted by
5480 posts

You might need to try a few to see which headphones work for you and the type of hearing aid you use. DH has successfully used both Sony and Bose noise cancelling headphones.

Posted by
1075 posts

They give headphones out for FREE on international flights. Amazon has the BOSE QuietComfort Noise Cancelling headphones on SALE for $199 right now - regular $349 -- we have these and LOVE them. They can be bluetooth or they come with a cable to plug into the plane movie screen. You can always order them and send them back if you don't like them.

Sony (the last generation) is also on SALE on Amazon, but I hear that the BOSE is better for hearing aid wearers as they are shaped better for them.

Posted by
1054 posts

I love my Bose over the ear noise-cancelling headphones. If they are on sale for $199 I would definitely get them. I don't think you will regret these. They are actually fairly easy to operate as well. Use bluetooth or plug into the airline screen. They also cut out all that aircraft noise. They are a game changer when flying long haul.

Posted by
301 posts

I have an AirFly Bluetooth transmitter that I connect my Phonak hearing aids to so I can watch in-flight entertainment. It works quite well.

Posted by
318 posts

BOSE Quiet Comfort, over the ear, noise canceling headphones are on sale at Sam's Club for $169.

Posted by
786 posts

My husband also uses an Airfly with his Phonax hearing aids.

Posted by
1014 posts

I have never seen Delta hand out headphones going to Europe. I’ll have to check into it.

I will definitely check into that Airfly!

Ok, I’ve been reading about the air fly. How do you set it up on the plane to stream? I do get confused with technology l

Posted by
662 posts

Airlines do not give out headphones on flights...

In economy they give out the cheap little earbuds that cost $0.10 to make. In
premium eco and business you get real headphones, but they are not yours to
keep.

The Airfly is a good solution, but just paired to hearing aids, I don't think you will
get any noise cancelling, which to me is a really nice thing to have on flights.

The total solution is an Airfly + some brand of noise-cancelling headphones. While
Bose and Sony are the high-end, high $$ brands, Monoprice and others make very
decent ones for $30-$50. With this, you pair the Airfly to the headphones and they
go over-the-ear with the hearing aids.

Posted by
254 posts

As an audiologist, retired, I can safely say that Bluetooth sound through another device, then to your hearing aids is not going to sound great for music, no matter how expensive, and how advanced the hearing aids are, compared to over the ear headphones. You just can't get the bass through them; they are designed for voices, no matter what their marketing says. But it will work very well to hear movies and things.

Issues with other possible solutions:
You would get great sound with the over the ear ones the airlines loan you in Premium Economy or Business, but regular headphones don't plug into the sockets. The Bluetooth ones are a possibility, and the sound quality is excellent, as someone has already said. The problem you might have with this arrangement, is that, for it to be comfortable, you would have to take your hearing aids off on the airplane, which is risky. It is hard enough dealing with little things that might fall on the floor, so I would not suggest you induce more stress. Maybe you can manage without the hearing aids as you go through security etc.

As a normal hearing person, I use Bluetooth bone conduction headphones for road cycling, and sacrifice good sound for being able to hear the cars etc while I ride. I don't do this while riding through busy cities. That is another possibility for you, because you can leave your hearing aids on. It is making a complicated arrangement on your ears though, and again, I can't highly recommend it for this reason.

I find over the ear headphones the airlines provide sound good, but are not that comfortable on a long flight, due to my glasses and sleeping positions. It is indeed a difficult situation, and every choice has its disadvantages.

Posted by
14810 posts

I will just add a recommendation that you have back up entertainment. On my Delta flight in October from Paris to SLC the entertainment system would never boot up. One FA tried literally the whole flight (every time I went to the lavatory she was there working on it!) to get it to work. Not having an entertainment system doesn't bother me because I either sleep or I have my Kindle app on my iPad Mini anyway but I'm sure it did bother others! Delta did issue a bunch of miles as recompense for the lack of entertainment.

Posted by
1168 posts

If you are flying Premium Economy or above, definitely check with the airlines as to what they provide on your route. Headphones in cabins above economy are not uncommon. I don't know Delta, but have used airline headphones on several other carriers, various routes, various aircraft types.

Posted by
588 posts

"regular headphones don't plug into the sockets."

One solution is to buy a converter plug so you can plug your standard headphones into the airline socket. Or as suggested, bring your own entertainment on phpne or iPad- you can download movies on Netflix and other streaming services.