Airline headset sockets

[Grumpy owd man]

Whilst standing in CPC today [waiting for my order to be repicked with the items I wanted NOT the items that they thought I might like] I glanced at the open pages of a catalogue. My old eyes were drawn to the 'Airline Headset Adapter plug'. Never thought of it before but, why should aeroplanes need a different connector {other than so the airlines can sell the public an adapter and make more money} ? is there any other situation where these are used? Just seems a bit odd to me.

[Andy Hall]

The audio ones on every passenger aircraft that I've ever been on (and that is a substantial number), where they are installed at all, are standard 3.5mm jacks. I often take my Bose noise cancelling headset with me on trips and that works fine with aircraft audio (to the limits of aircraft audio).

I haven't known of any of the airlines I use charging for headsets either, even in economy class, although perhaps the U.S. carriers and perhaps the budget airlines do - I don't use either.

There are special plugs for laptop power on aircraft seats, however these are generally available, eg.

[Peter Parry]

Quite the reverse - it's to make it unattractive to passengers to nick the airliners headsets.

[crb]

At the time of the change from acoustic-tube headsets to electronic headsets for IFE, there was a thought in the industry that if standard

3.5mm stereo jacks were used, there would be a large pilferage of the headsets for home use. A second reason for not opting for them was that some thought that passengers might bring their own headsets, and that this could present a safety hazard. Therefore, some airlines adopted dual mono 3.5mm jacks.

I was responsible for the IFE design on BA aircraft at the time and decided to go with standard stereo 3.5mm jacks from cost, simplicity, reliability and space viewpoints. I analyzed the safety fears, and decided that it was a non-issue.

CRB

[Andy Hall]

In most cases, one wouldn't want them, although I agree that people do seem to steal them for some reason.

It's surprising what people do try to steal from aircraft - not long ago I saw someone helping themselves to a safety instructions card from the seat pocket. I had a word with them and it was put back.

[John Rumm]

IIUC, some carries like Virgin make a point of giving away a pack to every passenger that includes a (virgin branded) headset to keep. Not a bad idea when you think it through - cheap advertising since they must cost pennies to make, and there are no worries about contaminated headsets etc.

[Roger Mills]

Some airlines seem to use separate right and left channel headphone sockets at 1/2" spacing rather than a single stereo socket. I have some noise cancelling headphones which have a standard 3.5mm stereo plug on the cable, plus an adaptor to convert to the dual plug arrangement. When travelling by air, I sometimes need to use the adapter - but often don't, depending on the socket configuration.

[tim(yet another new home)]

I have a friend who collected them over about 20 years. Recently he got fed up with this 'collection;' and sold it on ebay for about 100 quid :-(.

He also stole spoons (when doing so was worthwhile).

Whilst he was doing all this, his travelling was paid for as Marketing Manager for a large international electronics co.

tim

>

[Owain]

As a child I used to collect sugar lumps (they came in different wrappers according to the hotel chain, etc, before you all think I was /really/ sad with a wardrobefull of Tate & Lyle)

I'll get my anorak....

Owain

[Andy Hall]

I have to admit to occasionally asking hotels whether I can have one of the little cards that are used to hang on hotel room doors to ask for privacy or the room to be made up. They always say yes.

Mostly these are for the language but occasionally there are some quite good ones.

From a recent stay, I have one that on one side says

"I'm busy" and then in small print underneath; " Actually I'd rather be left alone, if that's alright with you"

On the other side it says " **** OFF! "

[rusty]

Plenty of people collect sick bags (unused, I believe). A fair number are on Ebay.

rusty

[Bob Eager]

I have a nice (unused) sick bag that came with my copy of the "UNIX haters Handbook"...!

[Huge]

People collect airline sick bags, you know.

[Andy Hall]

Is this a Microsoft Press publication?

[Bob Eager]

Not at all. It's actually a very useful book, and even I (a UNIX user for 30 years) learned a few things! It's actually a digest of part of a newsgroup/mailing list.

[John Stumbles]

More generally this is an example of the difference (and animosity) between the approaches of 'The Right Thing' versus 'Worse Is Better'

is a good starting point ...

[Andy Hall]

So I understand. Considering the quality of airline food, I am surprised that they are not used much. However, in all of my years of traveling, I can only think of one instance of someone using one to speak with Bertha O'Rourke.

[Andy Hall]

I just found a PDF of the Unix Hater's Handbook - that'll do for some in-flight reading tomorrow.

[Bob Eager]

I don't use Wikipedia.....!

[Bob Eager]

Yes, I should have mentioned that. Link to it, also the cover (worth seeing!) and some other stuff here...