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!
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
BOSE Quiet Comfort, over the ear, noise canceling headphones are on sale at Sam's Club for $169.
My husband also uses an Airfly with his Phonax hearing aids.
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
I believe that if your hearing aids have bluetooth, they can be paired to an airflyght. That works for watching in-flight movies and the whisper devices most museums use.
https://www.amazon.com/Twelve-South-Transmitter-Headphones-Airplanes/dp/B07Z13G1P5?th=1
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.
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.
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.
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.
"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.
Nog, do they plug in the plane Jack?
LuLu348 - yes, they come with a cable -- those are the same ones i recommended. Still on sale on Amazon.
Those headphones recommended are among the very best, and you can get them for fairly cheap. Bluetooth might work better though, because as you doze off on your peaceful, soothing flight, the wires can get all tangled up! I have never done Bluetooth on an airplane though, other than to my phone.
I generally do not carry anything big and bulky if there is a smaller alternative available. However, I always pack my Bose QC over ear headphones on any long flight simply because the noise cancellation and hours long comfort is more than worth the trade-off.
They work very well with a BT transmitter such as a Tao Tronics or Airfly.
@Reederman and @mnannie, thanks for mentioning pairing Phonak to Airfly.
There are four Airfly models at Amazon: Airfly SE, Airfly Duo, Airfly Pro, and Airfly Pro Deluxe. Phonak also has many models. Which combination of models work for you?
There are mixed reviews at Amazon about being able to pair Phonak to Airfly, hence the question.
Would also like to know about other BT transmitters that can pair with Phonak. TIA.
They give headphones out for FREE on international flights.
I fly Delta to Europe three or four times a year — the last time was two days ago — and they definitely only hand out ear buds (not headphones), which Lulu had said won't work for her.
Maybe up in the front front or the plane they hand out headphones?? Maybe Lulu is flying first class, I don't remember.
I use AirFly with my Beats Flex. That way I don't have to worry about earbuds falling out of my ears and getting lost under — or in — the seat.
Lulu. I found lots of the above confusing. I wear Rexton aids not been able to get them to “pair” to my AifFly. I can use them with Bluetooth to my iPhone. AirFly is a small gadget that will convert most sound sources to Bluetooth using a 2.5 mm phono jack. Set of Bose wireless over the ear headphones is a sure bet for good quality sound and is an easy “pairing” to AirFly for those long flights. Adding noise canceling is a plus if you like.
Here is my experience on trips in 2023 & 2024.Both had 9+ hr Delta flights. I use my AirFly with my Bose Earbuds replacing my aids carefully putting them away while on board and before lights go out.
That provides ease of movement without disconnecting and offers quality sound for movies or music on my iPhone. RS tours almost always use the “whisper system” with a “throw away” wired earbud. So I connect the AirFly to that system and use my Bose earbuds instead. You only need one for voice though.
If you are going to use the AirFly or a wired headset I recommend having a “mono to stereo adapter” very inexpensive.
You can google all of these things or just go to Amazon and search. Hope this wasn’t overwhelming PM me if you like some clarification.
Safe travels
Don
