Aer lingus 490 IFE and headphones

adamgerrywatt

Hi, I will soon be flying to Faro on EI490. This flight is listed to be an Airbus A330-200. My question is (1) Will the inflight entertainment work seeing as this is a short haul flight, and (2) do standard earphones/headphones work or are they the two socket type? Are earphones/headphones provided on short haul flights as they are in long haul flights?
Thank you for any answers in advance.

goingnowhere

It should work...

EI use the standard two pin airline socket

adamgerrywatt

Ok thanks, also what would happen if I plugged normal headphones into one of the two sockets? Would it be in one ear only or just not work at all?

Skuxx

adamgerrywatt wrote: »

Ok thanks, also what would happen if I plugged normal headphones into one of the two sockets? Would it be in one ear only or just not work at all?

Get yourself one of these and you can plug in whatever you like!!

http://m.ebay.ie/itm/221655715329?nav=SEARCH

goingnowhere

single ear

Adaptors are fairly cheap to buy, try a 1 euro shop :pac:

adamgerrywatt

I know that (very low quality) headphones are provided on long haul but would you imagine that they'd give them on short haul?

Nibs05

No IFE on European routes (Malaga and Faro wide body) Long haul only.

adamgerrywatt

So it just won't work then?

adamgerrywatt

Other posts seem to say that it will work?

VeVeX

I've been over and back to Malaga a few times on an A330 and the IFE has been working.

adamgerrywatt

VeVeX wrote: »

I've been over and back to Malaga a few times on an A330 and the IFE has been working.

Thanks, that's good to know. What else was provided?(earphones,magazines etc.) I've never actually flown with Aer Lingus before. (I'm talking about the Dublin to Faro/Malaga A330 route specifically.)

basill

Would you not be better off taking a tablet and loading it up with whatever you want to watch/listen to coupled with a decent pair of headphones? That way you aren't at anyones mercy.

adamgerrywatt

May as well make use of what they provide, I can just use a tablet anytime.

faceman

Usually they have the IFE on. Not sure if they provide headphones though on the Faro route. It's a 2 pin headphone jack and you can buy an adapter in an electronics shop cheap enough.

The standard Aer Lingus headphones are muck anyway, you'd be better off holding a yogurt carton to your ear and tying a string to the headphone jack.

ProfessorPlum

I've only used it in buisness, but single jack earbuds will work with stereo audio.

Tenger

adamgerrywatt wrote: »

Other posts seem to say that it will work?

IFE will work on ALL A330 flights. Headphones are purchasable on European A330 routes. No sure on the price, used to be 3 Euro.

adamgerrywatt

Tenger wrote: »

IFE will work on ALL A330 flights. Headphones are purchasable on European A330 routes. No sure on the price, used to be 3 Euro.

Thank-you Tenger, finally the answers I was looking for.

El_robbo1980

Last time I flew I bought one of the headset adapters for around €4 in the Dixons post-security in T2 so I could use my own headphones. Far better than paying €3 for those headphones you get on the flight which are pure sh@%e!!

bk

If you have good quality headphones, in addition to the adaptor mentioned earlier, I would also purchase an in-line volume control adaptor, like this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Earphone-in-Line-Volume-Control-Cable-Male-to-F-3-5mm-Stereo-Audio-Adaptor-NIGH-/131217538671?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e8d2cbe6f

The supplied headphones are so ****, that they have the volume on the IFE's turned way up. So even if you use the lowest volume on the IFE, with good headphones it can be WAY too loud. The above device allows you to reduce the volume to levels you can handle.

I can only assume this is why some airlines insist on using this crappy two prong adaptor. To stop people from using their own headphones and been deafened!

River Song

I dunno if you have the means of checking which plane specifically you'll be on or not but EI-EWR, one of the A330-200s has the single prong connection for its IFE, so you're aware. It's still a good investment to get the adaptor and the volume controller.

basill

And if you can stretch to a noise cancelling set of headphones then a new world will open up to you.

El_robbo1980

Bought a pair of Bose QC15s a few years ago at a reduced price in America. Never looked back!!!!

River Song

El_robbo1980 wrote: »

Bought a pair of Bose QC15s a few years ago at a reduced price in America. Never looked back!!!!

Sorry for going slightly off topic - how are they on flights? Have been VERY tempted to get the QC25s in Best Buy for months!

El_robbo1980

They're worth every penny! I got mine in Best Buy on sale after Xmas a few years ago. Used them on a three flight trip to Austarlia and they were incredible. The noise cancellation is unreal, even to just put them on without music drowns out the cabin noise. Plus they're extremely comfortable to wear for long periods of time. I can't vouch for the QC25 but they seem to be an upgrade of my pair so I'm sure they're as good, if not better!!! Keep an eye out for the Best Buy sale and maybe wait for the euro to improve against the dollar but you definitely won't regret buying them!

faceman

I also have a pair of Bose QC3. Well worth the investment! Wouldn't get on a plane without them!

River Song

Thanks guys! I've tried an older set on a plane (very cheekily asked another person for a go...) and they were very impressive. Might try get to a Bose factory/outlet store so and invest!