Steve Hart: Enjoy peace and quiet on your next flight

COMMENT

Ambient hum in an aircraft is something we've come to expect when flying. Aircraft makers do their best to limit unwanted noise in the cabin, but there is probably only so much that can be done in a confined space surrounded by huge jet engines and powerful air-conditioning units.

Although the ambient noise from all this hardware is not so intrusive as to spoil the enjoyment of a flight, some people believe it can affect our ability to rest, sleep and relax, which may contribute to the feeling of fatigue on long-haul journeys. And I know I'm guilty of turning up the volume of the standard airline headphones so the audio drowns out the ambient hum - which can't do the eardrums any good at all.

But technology that was developed for recording studios is starting to trickle down into the consumer market. Noise-cancelling headphones offer users the chance to greatly reduce the amount of unwanted background noise reaching their ears.

The headphones, which typically cost four to five times more than a comparable-looking traditional set, have a built-in microphone connected to a computer chip and a tiny amplifier. The computer processor recognises continuous noise - not bangs and screaming children - and creates a sound at the opposite frequency which cancels out much of the unwanted noise for the wearer. A lot of the rumble and hum just disappears.

The headphones are used in the traditional way to listen to music from portable players, and can be plugged into the aircraft's audio system (but check first).

Jonathan Higgins is a product manager for Panasonic which has its own range of the noise-cancelling headsets. He says he always wears a set on his business trips to Japan and Singapore.

"You really do notice the difference," he said. "The three-quarter and full-cup headphones can stop up to 70 to 80 per cent of ambient noise in an aircraft.

"The bud-style noise-cancelling headphones - the ones that fit in the ear - let a lot more sound in because the ears arn't covered by a cup, but they can be more comfortable when sleeping."

Unlike normal headphones, noise-cancelling sets are powered by a battery that can last for up to 45 hours. They can be used in the same way as standard headphones - but the flick of a switch half-way along the audio cable activates the noise-cancelling chip.

"These headphones haven't a high profile in the high street as they are seen to fill a niche market. People tend to buy them at duty free shops at airports," said Higgins.

Dr David Millar, of travel-health company Nomad, uses Bose noise-cancelling headphones and says he wouldn't travel without them.

"They are quite fantastic and cut out huge amounts of unwanted noise. I am not sure they would reduce jet lag (as some people claim), but they might reduce fatigue. I even use mine on the ferry.

"With the noise-cancelling activated, all I hear is the music I want to listen to."

Sets start from around $100 and Higgins says there is no risk involved in using them. He says users benefit as they tend to listen to music at a much lower volume than non-users.

I wonder whether airlines should take the technology a step further by offering these headphones as standard to all passengers, or whether there is a way to place a speaker above each seat (or in the headrest) so passengers can benefit from the technology without having to wear headphones at all. Maybe that's something for the future.

With many airlines cutting costs to get bums on seats, I think the option of noise-cancelling sets will be a personal one for some time to come.

* A little over three weeks ago Air New Zealand introduced its cafe-style meals on its Tasman Express routes. But a few days ago passenger pressure forced a rethink of its snack-in-a-box offering.

Despite the company's CEO Ralph Norris praising the meals, his business-class passengers were not impressed and started taking their business elsewhere - forcing Air NZ into an urgent rethink.

At the weekend business class passengers got their full service meals back - complete with crockery and cutlery. The airline listened to its customers and gave them what they wanted.

And passengers on the company's Auckland to Perth flights will have the full meal service reinstated too. A cafe-style snack in a box is just not enough to sustain passengers on an eight-hour flight, the company has decided.