The Major Reason You May Want To Avoid Wearing AirPods On An Airplane

AirPods can seem like the ideal travel companion. They're small, easy to carry, and come with on-the-go charging. Thanks to their built-in noise canceling, they can also allow you to enjoy your music and podcasts in peace. But you might want to think twice about using AirPods on your next flight for one main reason: They're incredibly easy to lose. Delta previously told USA Today that around 40 pairs of AirPods are handed in each month from their flights. With a brand new pair of Apple AirPods currently retailing for between $129 and $249, it's an expensive mistake to make.

Reddit is full of frustrated flyers who lost their AirPods on the plane, including one person whose AirPod became lodged inside a seat. Apple's discussion boards are also full of posts from annoyed travelers asking if there's any way of getting their devices back. One woman even told CNN how she lost her AirPods on a flight from Tokyo to San Francisco, and tracked them to an airport worker's home using Apple's Find My function.

You can prevent yourself from being one of the unlucky flyers who loses their AirPods. One way is to buy a cheap pair of ear hooks or a strap to attach to your AirPods, which makes them less likely to fall out and get lost. You can also buy a clip device which attaches your AirPods case to your bag, keys, or belt buckle. You could mark your AirPods with a small dot of permanent marker or a sticker, so if they do get lost, they are easily identifiable.

Before you get on the flight, make sure you have set up your AirPods to work with your iPhone's Find My app. That way, if you do think you've lost your AirPods on the plane, you should be able to check where they are. If it turns out your AirPods have been lost, the first thing you should do is report it to the airline as soon as possible as they may be able to reunite you with them. 

Instead of using AirPods during your flight, consider bringing a pair of wired non-Bluetooth headphones, the kind that plug directly into your phone or tablet. If you want a wire-free experience, try a pair of Bluetooth over-ear headphones. They are harder to lose than a tiny AirPod. It might be better to use a cheaper pair of headphones that are harder to lose than to risk losing your pricey AirPods on your next flight.