Anyone been on BA long haul recently? Headphone question

[Deep]

Hi
I like to use my own noise cancelling headphones to watch films when flying. My Sony ones come with a two pronged adaptor (see pic) that usually allows you to plug straight into the aircraft outlet...I've certainly used it on many Emirates flights.
Earlier this year I took a Virgin flight and found that the adaptor wasn't suitable. I can't remember exactly but I think Virgin had three holes in their outlet.

Next month I'm taking a BA flight and I don't want to have the same issue.

Can anyone confirm whether the adaptor is suitable for BA outlet?

Thanks very much

[davek_964]

I flew BA last year - I also have Sony with an adaptor like that.

It didn't fit - the plane I was on had two holes but the adaptor didn't fit them.

However, I discovered afterwards that apparently the two holes in the BA seats are for sound and power to their own headphones. So you don't need the adaptor - you just plug the single pin cable you have into one of the two holes (it will only fit one of them)

[Deep]

davek_964 said:

I flew BA last year - I also have Sony with an adaptor like that.

It didn't fit - the plane I was on had two holes but the adaptor didn't fit them.

However, I discovered afterwards that apparently the two holes in the BA seats are for sound and power to their own headphones. So you don't need the adaptor - you just plug the single pin cable you have into one of the two holes (it will only fit one of them)

Hey mate, that's really helpful, thank you!
I wonder if that was the case with the Virgin flight I was on as well....?

Thanks again!

[durbster]

I flew with BA in 2022 and I can't say for certain but I think they had the double socket in the arm rest, and then a single aux port on the in-flight entertainment system that you could use instead.

I know I used my noise cancelling headphones and I didn't have an adapter but I can't quite remember if I used them when I was watching stuff, or the ones they gave us.

[miniman]

787 economy last summer, 3.5mm jack plugged straight in to infotainment.

[Deep]

Thanks guys.
It must have been something similar on the Virgin flight as well but I just didn't figure it out. I was pretty drunk though and just gave up after a while

[valiant]

miniman said:

787 economy last summer, 3.5mm jack plugged straight in to infotainment.

Yep.

We flew a newer version going out to the States that had its 3.5mm jack near the screen and flew back on one with the older infotainment which had a double jack in the armrest but plugging in on one of the two sockets was absolutely fine.

[durbster]

Deep said:

Thanks guys.
It must have been something similar on the Virgin flight as well but I just didn't figure it out. I was pretty drunk though and just gave up after a while

Aha. So it might be that you were actually trying to plug your headphones into a bread roll

[Deep]

durbster said:

Aha. So it might be that you were actually trying to plug your headphones into a bread roll

Considering I'd been drinking at the airport for three hours that's very possible lol

[FIREBIRDC9]

BA A350 to vegas this April , World Traveller.

Standard headphone jack into the infotainment

[Trustmeimadoctor]

Yup 2 prong is either that adapter if holes are same size you can just plug in to one hole but you will likely get mono sound

If the 2 holes are different sizes then the smaller is for powering the supplied NC headphones

Same with 3 pin the smaller 3rd is power

May I suggest using a Bluetooth transmitter though rather than connecting your headphones via the cable

[surveyor]

2 of the 3 holes are actually screws on Virgin Dreamliner at least (taken live at 38,000 feet)

[Trustmeimadoctor]

surveyor said:

2 of the 3 holes are actually screws on Virgin Dreamliner at least (taken live at 38,000 feet)

This is a 3 pin

[ecsrobin]

If your headphones are Bluetooth a popular solution is using an airfly pro, they also sell them at the airport.

https://amzn.eu/d/a2T0m7P

[Trustmeimadoctor]

They cost more than they need to do

This is alot cheaper and works very well


https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09DP3PHTB

[Deep]

surveyor said:

2 of the 3 holes are actually screws on Virgin Dreamliner at least (taken live at 38,000 feet)

That's odd.
I was on a Virgin A350 and I'm sure it was three prongs. It was business class but I can't imagine that would make a difference. Perhaps there was another single prong outlet as well that I didn't spot.

Thanks

[Trustmeimadoctor]

BC will usually be 3 prong as they supply NC headphones that require power

[Deep]

Trustmeimadoctor said:

They cost more than they need to do

This is alot cheaper and works very well


https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09DP3PHTB

Yes, £50 seems like a lot for a BT adaptor given that you can buy a half decent portable speaker with inbuilt BT for that kind of money.

[Sciurus]

Deep said:

I wonder if that was the case with the Virgin flight I was on as well....?

It is. I'm an extremely regular traveller on Virgin and the standard 3.5mm connector will work - no need for an adaptor.

[Deep]

Trustmeimadoctor said:

BC will usually be 3 prong as they supply NC headphones that require power

What does BC stand for?

Thanks