Airline Audio Jacks

locomotiveman

So, as we all know many if not most airlines use an unusual dual pronged audio jack output which you need those funny adaptors for headphones. What is the reason for these unique jacks, I'm not sure I've ever seen any like them anywhere else?

TL DR

So you don't steal the headphones.

Nibble

...but they let you keep them after the flight, and the second prong folds down so you can put them into regular devices.

I guess the real reason is so they can force you to buy the headphones if they want, and make an extra $3 per passenger.

Improvolone

Many years ago the airline headphones were just rubber hoses that carried the sound. I thought I was so bad ass when I was able to watch Congo for free by pulling the arm rest up and pushing my ear against the out hole.

japan

I still have a dual prong to regular 3.5mm jack adaptor that I acquired on a flight with some godawful tour operator, possibly Monarch or Britannia.

Comes in handy when you don't want to use the shitty airline provided headphones. Never seem to see them anymore on flights, although you could always plug standard earphones into one of the dual prong sockets to get mono sound, or two sets if you wanted full stereo.

locomotiveman

Thanks everyone. (this can be locked)