Hearing aid streamers - can they be used onboard?
Apr 19, 2019, 1:14 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 55
Hearing aid streamers - can they be used onboard?
Hi Everyone
This will be the first time flying for my 10 year olds new Bone Anchored Hearing Aids. In order to link them to any electronic device/inflight entertainment/t-loop system a streamer has to be used. My worry is the streamer will only connect to the hearing aids wirelessly (the range of which is short). The instructions are very general and there is just a general sweeping statement saying "it shouldn't be used onboard unless told you can by airline personnel" which to me seems like a company covering themselves. If this can't be used onboard there is no way for my daughter to listen to any device as the streamer is also used for the t-loop and a 10 hour flight will be a struggle (although obviously if she can't use it she wont)
Under technical information it state this Technical information
"As well as the Bluetooth transmitter, the Oticon Medical Streamer contains a radio transmitter using short-range magnetic induction technology, working at 3.84 Mhz. The magnetic field strength of the inductive transmitter is < -15 dBμA/m @ 10 m. The emission power from the Oticon Medical Streamer is below international emission limits for human exposure. The Oticon Medical Streamer complies with international standards concerning electromagnetic compatibility."
Does anyone have any experience with being allowed/not allowed to use a wireless streamer onboard? Thanks in advance for your help.
This will be the first time flying for my 10 year olds new Bone Anchored Hearing Aids. In order to link them to any electronic device/inflight entertainment/t-loop system a streamer has to be used. My worry is the streamer will only connect to the hearing aids wirelessly (the range of which is short). The instructions are very general and there is just a general sweeping statement saying "it shouldn't be used onboard unless told you can by airline personnel" which to me seems like a company covering themselves. If this can't be used onboard there is no way for my daughter to listen to any device as the streamer is also used for the t-loop and a 10 hour flight will be a struggle (although obviously if she can't use it she wont)
Under technical information it state this Technical information
"As well as the Bluetooth transmitter, the Oticon Medical Streamer contains a radio transmitter using short-range magnetic induction technology, working at 3.84 Mhz. The magnetic field strength of the inductive transmitter is < -15 dBμA/m @ 10 m. The emission power from the Oticon Medical Streamer is below international emission limits for human exposure. The Oticon Medical Streamer complies with international standards concerning electromagnetic compatibility."
Does anyone have any experience with being allowed/not allowed to use a wireless streamer onboard? Thanks in advance for your help.
Apr 19, 2019, 1:50 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: BA Bronze SPG
Posts: 273
Hi Siz
i am profoundly deaf and wear wireless hearing aids. I use a ReSound MultiMic to enhance sound and stream wirelessly. I have used it onboard - particularly when in CE as there was an empty seat between my husband and me. He wore the MultiMic and I could hear him much better. We checked with CC beforehand and they were ok with it but had to be switched off for take-off and landing.
Shortly about to take a long long haul flight and I have checked the in-flight films on offer. There are 3 I want to see and they all have subtitles- please do ensure subtitles are on any film/tv that your daughter wants to see and kick up blazes if no subtitles! I got 10k avios for no subtitles on a relatively recent flight. The only other issue that I have is that I don’t sleep that well on board as I feel the vibrations of the aircraft as us deaf people are extremely sensitive to vibration.
The other thing - have you selected your seats yet? If you are all on the BAEC - put your daughter’s deafness down under the assistance tab. Then get in touch with BA customer services to be allowed to choose your seats and sit together for no extra charge (not exit rows). There has been new legislation issued to include those with hidden disabilities. As I’m on an overnight flight, I wanted to be away from galley and toilets so I don’t get woken by lights and on a window seat so I don’t feel the air movement as someone walks past my seat! Otherwise it wakes me up and I get grumpy!!
Have a great flight and hope it goes well.
And if anyone can advise if I can plug my MultiMic straight into the headphone socket (A380) or do I need a 2 pronged adapter??
Cheers
i am profoundly deaf and wear wireless hearing aids. I use a ReSound MultiMic to enhance sound and stream wirelessly. I have used it onboard - particularly when in CE as there was an empty seat between my husband and me. He wore the MultiMic and I could hear him much better. We checked with CC beforehand and they were ok with it but had to be switched off for take-off and landing.
Shortly about to take a long long haul flight and I have checked the in-flight films on offer. There are 3 I want to see and they all have subtitles- please do ensure subtitles are on any film/tv that your daughter wants to see and kick up blazes if no subtitles! I got 10k avios for no subtitles on a relatively recent flight. The only other issue that I have is that I don’t sleep that well on board as I feel the vibrations of the aircraft as us deaf people are extremely sensitive to vibration.
The other thing - have you selected your seats yet? If you are all on the BAEC - put your daughter’s deafness down under the assistance tab. Then get in touch with BA customer services to be allowed to choose your seats and sit together for no extra charge (not exit rows). There has been new legislation issued to include those with hidden disabilities. As I’m on an overnight flight, I wanted to be away from galley and toilets so I don’t get woken by lights and on a window seat so I don’t feel the air movement as someone walks past my seat! Otherwise it wakes me up and I get grumpy!!
Have a great flight and hope it goes well.
And if anyone can advise if I can plug my MultiMic straight into the headphone socket (A380) or do I need a 2 pronged adapter??
Cheers
Last edited by FEMW; Apr 19, 2019 at 2:00 pm
Apr 19, 2019, 2:40 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: JAX
Programs: Ex-BA/AA/CP/LY staff, BA Executive Club Blue, IHG Diamond, Marriott Silver, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 3,586
Apr 19, 2019, 2:46 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Plymouth, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,159
While not a hearing aid, I use a Bluetooth transmitter with my wireless headset when on board. I have a 2-prong adapter to plug in to the socket (ignore the 3rd as it is just to power the supplied headsets). I have to admit to not asking but I do know that many people do this with wireless headsets. Are your hearing aids Bluetooth?
Apr 19, 2019, 2:57 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: LON
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 3,915
For the sake of a quid ordering from ebay, I would suggest getting a two prong to 3.5mm socket adapter.
Apr 19, 2019, 3:14 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: BA Bronze SPG
Posts: 273
Yes they are. I can sometimes use headphones but it can get uncomfortable if it presses on the hearing aids too much. Sometimes the loop setting can be used with the headphones Siz but it varies betweendifferent manufacturers.
i’ll get a couple of adapters - for all it costs. Thanks to everyone- it makes a big difference to me.
i’ll get a couple of adapters - for all it costs. Thanks to everyone- it makes a big difference to me.
Apr 19, 2019, 4:41 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: BA Bronze SPG
Posts: 273
Whilst it is courtesy to inform the CC that it is ok to use, in this day and age where deaf people do travel and getting all kinds of electronic equipment to assist them in their daily living (believe me it is bloody tough!) and for people to highlight it has a radio frequency may interfere with the avionics. Do you expect deaf people not to have any communication, not be able to hear IFE? To be isolated from communication for a long haul flight is like expecting a wheelchair user to travel in the guard’s van like they did back in the days of British Rail and pre-Equality Act! Perhaps if Siz can speak with the pilot prior to push-back to check that it is ok.
I attach a couple of photos of my MultiMic to show what it looks like.
This little device is just amazing!
MultiMic - approx 3” long - FM receiver on the bottom right.
It has 4 modes - speak / telecoil / music / FM
[/left]
Last edited by Prospero; Apr 20, 2019 at 2:53 am Reason: repair attribution to quoted content
Apr 19, 2019, 5:25 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 55
Thanks everyone. I will obviously check with the crew before it is used but am relieved it hopefully shouldn’t be a problem. I’ve never thought about her feeling the vibrations more in an aircraft and that may explain why she felt so ill on her last long flight and she couldn’t sleep, that’s very useful to know. As for subtitles in this day and age there is no excuse for not having them as an option for all pre loaded programmes! I’ve already booked the seats via speci assistance, in addition to my deaf daughter my son has ASD so 2 window seats for the children with parents next to each (clubworld) works well for us as it’s slightly less noisy with only familiar people on one side for them.
Apr 20, 2019, 2:49 am
#9
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: BA Bronze SPG
Posts: 273
Could you take a lightweight small duvet for her to sleep on (as a mattress) to help absorb any vibrations?
I once worked in an office above the then Abbey National. I could feel the aircon when no one in the office could. We are that hypersensitive to it!
Have a good flight!
I once worked in an office above the then Abbey National. I could feel the aircon when no one in the office could. We are that hypersensitive to it!
Have a good flight!
Apr 20, 2019, 3:31 am
#10
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold 1MM, BA Gold, UA Peon
Posts: 6,110
For mattresses to use as a padded surface, some people have reported they use an inflatable hiking mattress pad in the small size. The canonical make is Therm-a-rest and there are others. I have an actual therm-a-rest for camping or sleeping on floors which I find quite satisfactory https://www.thermarest.com/mattresses
Apr 20, 2019, 5:22 am
#11
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan, IHG, Enterprise, Avios, Nexus
Posts: 8,355
Between the wireless headsets and computer mice on board your daughter's will be far from the only Bluetooth device used during the flight. Unless they intend to shut down every one of them hers shouldn't be a problem.