Twelve South's $80 AirFly View plugs into a seatback jack so Bluetooth headphones work on older planes, but cheaper models do much the same job.
Twelve South has a new version of its AirFly, a small plug-in device that lets Bluetooth headphones work with airplane seatback screens. The AirFly View costs $80. CNET's review gave it an 8.8 and called it easy to use, though not essential if you already own an older AirFly.
The View is a tiny Bluetooth transmitter. It plugs into any source with a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, which is the round jack found on many in-flight entertainment systems. That lets noise-canceling earbuds or headphones, which are nearly all Bluetooth, play a plane's movies and shows.
It can also work in reverse. As a receiver, it takes audio from your phone and sends it to anything with an AUX input, such as an older car or speaker. That adds Bluetooth streaming, for apps like Spotify, to gear that lacks it.
The big change is a small screen on the front that stays hidden when it is off. It walks you through setup step by step and shows the names of connected headphones. It can connect two pairs of headphones at once, and both names appear on screen. The volume buttons also move you through menus.
The reviewer says the screen mainly fixes one small problem: forgetting how to pair after you buy new headphones. Older AirFly models connect easily too. Sound quality is described as fine, no better or worse than any other Bluetooth connection.
The View makes the most sense for people who change headphones often, fly a lot, and use airlines that have not added Bluetooth to their seats. If that is not you, the review says a cheaper AirFly may be the smarter buy.
More planes now offer Bluetooth at every seat, which could make a device like this less needed. That is not guaranteed on any given flight, even if the airline says so beforehand. Auracast lets nearby people with compatible headphones listen in on one source, but the review says that is not useful on a plane.
If you fly often on older planes, a small plug-in device can save you from giving up your good headphones, but cheaper models may do the job.
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