How do the FAs handle pax who snore?

[jhm]

Shure earphones (or any other noise-blocking earplug type earphones) are the best answer to the full range of noise problems onboard, including engine noise and crying babies.

As soon as I put in the Shures and put on some music even quite softly, all other noise magically goes away. I love it! Same as on the trains and buses. Complete tranquility in your own little world...

Exactly how I feel. There's only so far noise cancellation technology can take you but beyond that, you need noise isolation (plus, without any electronics fiddling around with the sound, you can get audiophile quality music on a plane to the extent that the limiting factor may be your source (less of a problem now with high bitrate MP3s etc and the availability of portable battery powered headphone amps)). I've had a pair of Etys for a couple of years and they work great - in fact, too well because with music at a moderate level I don't even know when someone is trying to talk to me unless I see him/her!

[stargold]

I find that it's especially useful in buses around Croydon where, invariably, some kids think it's a great idea to blast out hip-hop from their mobile phone in all its screeching and crackling glory.

You really can't afford to take the risk involved with challenging them these days (who knows whether they'll pull out a gun or a knife?) so it's just better to isolate yourself completely, close your eyes and pretend that you're waiting for the LS to bring the glass of Krug...

[jhm]

portable battery powered headphone amps

Something like the HeadRoom Total AirHead. I have an earlier model but I carry around too much electronics as it is and cables and my ears are not good enough to really care much about the difference, so I don't bother travelling with it.

[jhm]

it's just better to isolate yourself completely

I did try using my Etys and iPod on my daily commute to block out the tube noise but felt it was a bit dangerous to walk around not hearing anything at all except my music!

On a plane, I suppose I would be screwed if I'm blissfully listening to my music and the pilot orders everyone to brace!

[stargold]

This is veering somewhat OT, but I found that iPods have a very puny built-in output stage which struggles to drive earphones properly.

Sony's NWZ series doesn't seem to suffer the same problem and I've been using the Shure SE420 with great results straight from the headphone jack Certainly good enough to forgo the inconvenience of a separate box for the headphone amp!

[stargold]

I did try using my Etys and iPod on my daily commute to block out the tube noise but felt it was a bit dangerous to walk around not hearing anything at all except my music!

That's why I had no choice but to develop a third eye at the back of my head. As long as I can see it, I can avoid it

On a plane, I suppose I would be screwed if I'm blissfully listening to my music and the pilot orders everyone to brace!

Although, frankly, anyone's chances are pretty poor in such a situation, brace position or not... isn't it?!

[jhm]

The only problem with a Sony NWZ is that it's not Apple. Joking aside, unless someone can tell me otherwise, I have a Mac which means iTunes which means an iPod.

Moving back OT, if noise isolation is your thing, people can also check out high fidelity ear plugs, e.g. from the same company, Etymotics:

http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er20.aspx

They take some getting used to but they perform better than normal squishy earplugs which you find in amenity kits etc. They reduce noise equally across all frequencies so as to preserve the fidelity of the sounds which you still hear (useful for people like musicians or sound engineers who may work in noisy environments).

[jjpb3]

From snoring pax to a comparison of various options that wouldn't require or ask of (SQ) FAs to be heavy-handed: that's what discussion boards are for.

@stargold: Croydon?

To revert to the topic: even if a passenger's snoring bothered me, I don't think I'd ask an FA to intervene, because with snoring, neither the pax nor the FA usually has much control over it.

[jhm]

with snoring, neither the pax or the FA usually has much control over it.

Agreed. It may even be a medical condition which the pax can't do anything about at that moment in time.

I have one such condition called obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). A risk factor which contributes to this problem is obesity (like myself but a solution is in progress ) but it's not always the case, i.e. thin people can also suffer from it. It may also be hereditary and drinking, smoking and the way you lie down to sleep are also risk factors. Apparently, 1 in 25 men and 1 in 50 women over the age of 30 are affected and many people are unaware they have OSA. Diagnosis requires a referral to a sleep clinic where they hook you up to a sensor which monitors your blood oxygen level and then let you sleep overnight.

Due to the physical layout of the throat, a person with OSA whilst asleep has restricted airflow (which results in snoring) until breathing actually stops because the airflow is obstructed totally! The brain senses the drop in blood oxygen level, a reflex action kicks in (resulting in the person in effect coughing) and breathing starts again. This happens many times throughout the night and - each time - the person wakes up for a few seconds from sleep and in the morning, feels tired/awful because of lack of proper sleep and may fall asleep during the day. People with severe OSA cannot drive because they may even fall asleep when at the wheel.

Apart from losing weight (which helps in some cases but, as mentioned, not all), the other solution which works in most cases is to use a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine. It's basically a mask which you wear over your nose connected to a machine which pumps out air at a constant increased pressure (preset by your doctor). The pressurised air keeps your airway open so you don't snore and you get a proper night's sleep.

Going back right OT, you can apparently get battery powered CPAP machines for use on planes but I don't have one. I have a mains powered CPAP machine supplied by the hospital. As it's actually an air pump, it requires a fair amount of power so not all inseat power outlets work. Some of them trip out because the power drawn is too high for that outlet - in that case, I will snore (other pax will hear too!) and feel not so rested afterwards. From my experience and what I can remember:

BA J - it works fine plugged straight into the seat's US/European socket and a window seat on the UD is preferable as it's space to put the CPAP!

BA F - I need an Empower to AC adapter and although it's temperamental (i.e. it may trip out the first time you turn it on), it works fine

SQ R - it worked fine on my one time

Other SQ - I slept upright only for a few hours on my one and only SQ new J. I've not used a CPAP with the Spacebed. I can't remember about the Skysuite.

MH J and NH F - no luck

UA new F and QF F - IIRC, yes

[sabian]

Etys & iPod, Shure, portable amps and OSA & CPAP....OT?

There's a lot of education in the last few posts that's well within the realm of the topic.

[jjpb3]

Etys & iPod, Shure, portable amps and OSA & CPAP....OT?

There's a lot of education in the last few posts that's well within the realm of the topic.

OT doesn't mean uninformative.

The title indicates the thread is about snoring pax and FAs' response to them. I take it FAs have given you advice about which headphones were useful after you complained about a snoring passenger?

[sabian]

Well..truth be told. I have not had the privilege of being in a premium cabin.
Hence my posts are always about Y.

Still toying with idea of using miles for a premium cabin flight to CPH 3 years later or MXP/LHR next year.

After so many testimonies of once you go J/F, you won't go Y, it will be an expensive habit pick up and to kick.

That's what made me start this thread, the last thing I want is to start a post next year (after my EUR trip) about being booted out of J for disturbing the peace.

Have a snoring problem lately (suspected cause: weight gain) but after watching the youtube vids, I guess my problem is not as bad as I thought.

But it'd be nice to bump into an FA whose also into IEMs and mp3 players in J/F!

[benlee]

After so many testimonies of once you go J/F, you won't go Y, it will be an expensive habit pick up and to kick.

+1 But Y is still bearable on short haul most of the time.

[tris]

Shure earphones (or any other noise-blocking earplug type earphones) are the best answer to the full range of noise problems onboard, including engine noise and crying babies.

As soon as I put in the Shures and put on some music even quite softly, all other noise magically goes away. I love it! Same as on the trains and buses. Complete tranquility in your own little world...

Another alternative is to put on Ultimate earphones with ear foam tip. My 5vi works well for me. Time to sleep with some beautiful classical music on board!

If you have iphone/touch, download the "Mindwave" app and switch on your sleep induction biaural tones. It will certainly help you to ignore all those noises and help you to doze off much faster. Try it!

[stargold]

If you have iphone/touch, download the "Mindwave" app and switch on your sleep induction biaural tones. It will certainly help you to ignore all those noises and help you to doze off much faster. Try it!

The amounts that I normally eat/drink inflight make any sort of sleep inducing binaural tones entirely unnecesary

As long as the food is nice, I can quite reliably bring post-prandial coma upon myself after the main meal