I flew Singapore Airlines for the first time (just a short flight from SIN to KUL, and although it was, by and large, a lovely experience, one thing puzzled me. I wear noise-canceling earphones in the air and was told that I had to remove them during take-off and landing. Could it be that the airline doesn't understand that even with noise-canceling headphones, one can still hear voices on the intercom? I didn't argue and then removed them, of course, but part of the reason I wear them is to dampen the sound of the engines during take-off and landing. Does anyone know the reason that headphones are not allowed to be worn during those times?