3 Essential Electronics for your flight

In-Ear noise cancelling headphones

Many people are surprised to learn that airlines have started charging for headphones. Not all airlines do of course, but the road warrior comes prepared with the right pair for the job. The road warrior also knows that not just any pair will do. They’ve researched and compared and reached a decision on which pair is best for them. Our personal favourites are the Bose in-ear noise cancelling headphones. They’re comfortable, lightweight, very good at cancelling ambient noise, and even that screaming child in row 5. They are definitely not the least expensive pair of headphones you’ll ever buy but they are worth every penny. Excellent for day to day use as well, they come in both Android or iPhone models.

Tablet, iPad, Surface

Seat-back TVs are great, for passengers (mostly). Not so much for the airlines. They are costly to install, maintain, and even operate. The electronics that comprise the system weigh a substantial amount each extra pound or kilogram that needs to be lifted into the air increases the fuel consumption of the aircraft. Internet and streaming video are making their way onto many planes and to get access to these services, you’ll need your own device to get access. An added bonus, is that you can pre-load your device with what you really want to watch, and not just what’s piped through the airplane’s system.

A battery pack

The bigger, the better. Listening to music, connecting to wifi, and streaming or watching your video are big drains on your device’s battery. When you reach the other end, the last thing you want is a low battery notification when you need to make that call to your hotel, or to get an Uber. Packing a battery pack will be sure to give you that extra boost you need to keep your device alive so you can stay connected. Planes are increasingly being equipped with USB and power ports but don’t count on it, and airports… well, most were built before everyone had a mobile phone, let alone a smartphone so don’t expect to find many outlets when you need them most.