and ensuring -18dB noise cancellation performance is offered with all of its premium headphones — the Cirrus, the Stratus, and the Cumulus — Phitek is well positioned to meet this need. The Cirrus carries the noise cancellation technology inside the headphone, is battery operated and works with any passive audio connector. The Stratus looks for the noise cancellation and power from the audio jack itself. And finally, the Cumulus includes noise cancellation in the headphone, but receives its power from the jack. “The advantage of placing the technology in the connector is to ensure the expensive circuitry remains in the aircraft, and not be displaced by passengers or get broken,” explains van der Loo. “It also minimizes headphone cost, which contributes to a more attractive overall cost of ownership for the airline.”
Headset habits
Although the number of passengers that bring their own headphones on board is steadily increasing, van der Loo feels it is still critical for an airline to deliver a fully working IFE system of which headsets are an important part. “We’ve also noticed that many passengers prefer to leave their headphones at home out of fear of damage or loss,” he adds. “This is likely because many of these passengers expect to find a set of premium headphones on their seat when they board the aircraft.” It is no secret that Economy Class headphones create a lot of plastic waste. In 2015, Phitek was a finalist in the Crystal Cabin Awards for its economy headset, which was designed to last significantly longer than the traditional inexpensively manufactured economy headsets. “Additionally, like our premium range of headphones, it has been designed to be repaired — a unique offering in our industry,” says van der Loo. Linstol, provider of cabin-related passenger products, has developed a new high-end noise-cancelling headset for premium cabins, which will be unveiled at this year’s Airline Passenger Experience Expo (APEX) in Singapore. The new headset promises to offer the same customization options and a variety of finishes that Linstol has become known for, making it an attractive option for airlines looking to differentiate or upgrade their current offering for passengers in their premium cabins.
Sound performance, passenger comfort, affordability and designing specifically for the airline cabin environment have always been important characteristics of Linstol’s headset development process, none of which were spared when it came to developing its latest model. “The new premium headset remains true to our design principles and is onpoint with the trend of airlines’ desire to enhance all aspects of the service offering in their premium cabins,” says Mark Russell, CEO of Linstol.
Compact comfort
Earbuds are one of the most common headset styles used by travelers. Small, compact and lightweight, earbuds can be easily carried in a number of different areas, from carryon luggage to a coat pocket, making them ideal for travel. InflightDirect, provider of a range of inflight service products, recently announced three new earbud styles. The first of the new models features a sleek, modern and unique design that offers great sound quality and comfort for long-haul flights. The second incorporates several plastic components, rendering it an excellent marketing tool for airlines, while also providing a snug, comfortable fit that significantly reduces surrounding noise and focuses on sound quality. The third model also provides comfort and quality, and offers a design that allows for a multitude of colored parts, as well as great marketing potential. InflightDirect has found that rubber-tipped earbuds continue to be the most popular style of airline headphone, which makes sense, as it offers users low-cost sound reduction, good sound quality and requires minimal storage on board. “With the new models we are introducing, we see more of a marketing potential with customers and/or sponsors to ‘brand’ the earbud for those models that are taken by the passengers after the flight,” says Thomas Mockler, President and CEO of InflightDirect. Mockler has also noticed a continued improvement in speaker elements. He has found that customers are more frequently selecting neodymium speaker elements, which are better quality and greatly improve
both sound quality and sensitivity. “We have also improved the quality of the plugs to increase strength, thus reducing breakage,” he adds. “For the higher-end models, we are seeing continued quality improvements with internal materials — speakers, microphones — to increase performance while keeping costs to a minimum. The headset needs of passengers tend to vary per class, says Mockler. Passengers in the back of the aircraft, or in Economy Class, will typically look for a headphone that is comfortable and can be used to enjoy the audio and video options for the duration of the flight. Many times, these same passengers will take the headphones with them to use after the flight at home. “This is why you will see more reusable packaging that includes paper bags, foil zip top pouches and other containers that are large enough to hold personal music players,” he explains. “So even if the headphones become lost, the passenger will use the container again and again.”
One of InflightDirect’s three new earbud models allows for a multitude of colored parts and great marketing potential
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