FA asks for headphones to be taken off for landing

[Ausbt]

I really believe this is a first for me in 200+ flights over the past 5 years, but on my ARM-SYD QFlink today the announcement was "now is the time to turn off all electronic devices and remove headphones". Maybe I haven't been listening closely enough on the other 199 flights (noise-cancel ear buds!) but remove headphones? No drama from my point-of-view, I wasn't wearing any. Just surprising - makes me wonder about say Bose QCs which clearly if removed lose their ...err usefulness.

Anyway, enforcing the rule makes it easier for the FAs to police subversive iDevice use but given we are getting close to being able to email/text/smartphone at will it does seem odd.

 

[Sdtravel]

FA usually collect the headsets before landing. Well at least on international they still do. Not so much on domestic any more, haven't been asked ever to remove headsets and haven't had to hand them back on domestic for quite some time.

Maybe you got an ex international CSM. Or as you say they are just trying to get electronic devices turned off

 

[Ausbt]

No headsets handed out on QFF Dash 8s though - no AVOD! Pretty sure she was referring to personally-owned headphones.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

No headsets handed out on QFF Dash 8s though - no AVOD! Pretty sure she was referring to personally-owned headphones.

It makes sense, and is common sense. From a safety point of view, anything which keeps your ears free to hear an instant emergency command can only be considered a positive move.

 

[gaz0303]

They check headphones are removed before every landing on qflink flights.

 

[JessicaTam]

I have heard it from time to time in AU, but it is more common in Europe - although not every time.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

For starters Bose QC headphones are electronic and should be switched off....

However most airlines in US/EU now allow you to keep electronic devices on from gate to gate.

 

[smeacs]

I recently discovered that on a couple of Westjet flights in Canada. On one flight ear buds could be left in but headphones needed to be removed. And on the other flight I was allowed to use my headphones upside down. Ie the bar that normally goes over your head now had to go under my chin.

Either way I was confused.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I recently discovered that on a couple of Westjet flights in Canada. On one flight ear buds could be left in but headphones needed to be removed. And on the other flight I was allowed to use my headphones upside down. Ie the bar that normally goes over your head now had to go under my chin.

Either way I was confused.

thats understandable... but I guess from your own perspective, you would want to err on the side of safety right? so you would want to remove the headphones regardless of any instruction by the airline or otherwise.

 

[TomVexille]

It makes sense, and is common sense. From a safety point of view, anything which keeps your ears free to hear an instant emergency command can only be considered a positive move.

That's my impression

 

[quick_dry]

For starters Bose QC headphones are electronic and should be switched off....

However most airlines in US/EU now allow you to keep electronic devices on from gate to gate.

so is my watch, electric shaver and electronic voice recorder

On a few VA flights in the last month I can leave my NC headphones on - but they want the cord disconnected.

Wish things would hurry up and remove this silly electronics restriction.

 

[c814875]

All I want is a bit of consistency that would make it easier for all of us. Most PA's dont care about my headphones, those that do are happy seeing that they are not plugged into anything. Odd about aircanada flights that allow earbuds but not over ear types.

 

[moa999]

Have been asked by a number of airlines to take off my passive in-ear (Ultimate Ears), even when not plugged into anything and just being used by earplugs.

I put it down to crew perogative - it is easier to try and enforce a blanket rule, rather than working out which is powered and which is not.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

If passengers are not concerned about their own safety, are they that selfish that they are not concerned about how they impact the safety of others around them (by not wanting to remove headphones or ear pieces?).

The only people I can see that could leave headphones in, without impacting others, would be those sitting by a window.

 

[smeacs]

thats understandable... but I guess from your own perspective, you would want to err on the side of safety right? so you would want to remove the headphones regardless of any instruction by the airline or otherwise.

I was watching IFE so any announcements were broadcast into my ears any way. I think i just held them up to 1 ear and that was fine.

On the same holiday I also got asked to turn a go pro of on a OF flight.

 

[dairyfloss]

SQ tend to enforce this quite actively... at least in the Y cabin (I've seen a few in J who are left alone with their QCs on)... also SQ will hand out headphones after take off, and collect in descent.

 

[Justinf]

Headphones are at least possible to police because they are obvious.
On a recent flight on Norwegian from CPH-LGW, the gentleman in 1E (I was in 1C) did not bother to turn his phone off for the whole flight, but sneakily kept it out of eyeshot of the FAs. On descent he started texting and was receiving responses to those texts while we were still in the air.

 

[TraceyK90]

With Air Canada we were allowed to use their ear buds but not any head sets during take off and landing. The kids were not allowed to use their kiddie ones (that restrict the volume) and the FA got really huffy when I politely asked why. I'm happy to comply with a directive for safety but just didn't get the difference between using ear buds and headsets????

This happened on about 12 flights (1005 of the time) so it is enforced but I'd really like to understand why.:-|

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I was watching IFE so any announcements were broadcast into my ears any way. I think i just held them up to 1 ear and that was fine.

On the same holiday I also got asked to turn a go pro of on a OF flight.

during an unplanned emergency, a safety instruction will almost certainly be issued without the use of the public address system (that is, it will be issued by individual flight attendants shouting out).

as such, the announcement won't be broadcast into your ears.

 

[joyvee]

during an unplanned emergency, a safety instruction will almost certainly be issued without the use of the public address system (that is, it will be issued by individual flight attendants shouting out).

as such, the announcement won't be broadcast into your ears.

The above clearly explains why it is such a safety imperative. Thanks for that info. JoyV