Receptive to his or her instructions...

My bad...

So we have a consensus that noise-cancelling headphones are the answer, and also this post detailing how the noise-cancelling headphones will let you clearly hear conversations 5-6 rows away.

The problem is that noise-cancelling headphones are most effective in cancelling continuous noise, such as from jet engines, and least effective at highly variable sounds. This is why I would recommend noise-insulating earphones instead. Sort of combination earplug and earphone, so that whatever you play through them helps to drown out whatever they don't block.

Yeah, this. My Bose work like crap on people talking. Especially cackling broads on a 13 hour trans-Pacific flight.

I honestly can't figure out why people think being loud at 6 or for 13 hours straight is acceptable. At all.

That's good info... they then work in exactly the opposite fashion to what I'd like. White (brown, pink) noise is conducive to sleep, I'd never want to block that out!

Some people simply don't care about others.

Get some noise canceling headphones for your child or harden it early to classless language.

After all planes are made for loud, inebriated folks who have to discuss rubbish topics. Or at least it appears that way to me reasonably often ... so I have a right to my vulgarities, obscenities, and expletives too :o ...

I've seen FAs shut down people who were speaking at abnormal volumes. But for the most part, there's nothing you can do about it.

Mike

Then again...

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...me-flight.html

Maybe there's a different thread but I'll post it here. What is it about those people in airport lounges speaking so loudly when they're using Skype or their mobile phone. I do not mind short calls or people trying to have a quiet conversation. But do those loud people realize people cannot be bothered to hear their endless stupid conversations? Or even business secrets?

Of course I have my ear plugs handy at anytime during my trips... but those people are truly annoying - a bit more thoughtfulness would go a long way. I know they will never read this or even think about changing their behavior but hey, it's been my pet peeves lately. Off my soapbox!

We have a consensus on noise canceling headphones because someone makes money selling them, and others apparently get kickbacks selling them, but the reality is that headphones don't work, earplugs don't work, and the day they do work, you need to get your hearing checked. I don't know what to tell you. I wish I did.

I haven't had a lot of success with earplugs, and I don't like the bulky over-ear Bose headphones. But I have a great pair of Sony earbuds and an iPhone with a fabulous "ambient noise" app. The minute the chattering begins around me, I fire up "rolling surf" or "crackling fire" or "rainforest" and I'm at peace.

Or else I just watch a video on my iPad.

Earplugs work pretty well for me, or I just use in ear headphones and listen to music. Both work quite well.

http://www.transparencyrevolution.co...011/05/gag.jpg

I always keep a little duct tape in my carry on.

^^^:D