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Posted by andrem 10/28/2025

The AirPods Pro 3 flight problem(basicappleguy.com)
513 points | 274 commentspage 5
vcanales 10/28/2025|
I use these at night, sleeping with them on. I experienced this screeching intermittently for like a week, and then it went away almost completely. Now, it only happens if I lay down in a very specific way. It's probably related to the strength of the seal in my case, and maybe at higher altitudes and different pressures the seal is affected in a similar way.

The seal might have improved for me the more I used the same eartips

crims0n 10/28/2025||
Interesting, by description seems fixable in software. I wonder if Apple will disclose the root cause, would be awesome to see a proper writeup.
amelius 10/28/2025|
LOL, if they share any insight in this problem it will be along the lines of "you're wearing them wrong".
zamalek 10/28/2025|||
There's already [edit: multiple] comments here that are blaming human anatomy, despite the competition not having this issue. No need for Apple to claim it.

It amazes me what people are willing to suffer merely because Apple makes it. Flights are one of the core ANC competencies, it boggles the mind that this wasn't found during testing.

apetrovic 10/28/2025|||
I had a buzzing problem with AirPods Pro 1. Apple replaced it (both headphones) after year and a half of use, for free.
joecool1029 10/28/2025||
Wonder if it's humidity related. Besides the lower pressure, commercial aircraft are usually single digit % humidity due to use of dry bleed air to pressurize the cabin. Besides the effect on sealing, I wonder if there's an effect on acoustics that the ANC has to contend with. It would possibly explain some of the other people facing the same issues at home.
_sgianelli 10/28/2025||
I've had this exact same issue as described but only on longer runs where I've had them in my ears for longer than 3 or 4 hours. When I figured out I could just turn off the pass through or noise cancellations and it'd go away I was relieved but it doesn't seem reserved for pressurized plane cabins. Never had this issue on previous generations.
nadis 10/28/2025||
> This entry was written at 33,000 feet while flying over the Canadian Rockies.

Respect the commitment to the craft!

Also useful / timely knowledge for me, thank you. I have a big international trip with multiple longhaul flights coming up and was debating if I should upgrade my airpods or consider something else (e.g. overear headphones). Do folks have overear recommendations?

lucasban 10/28/2025||
For what it’s worth I did not experience this issue on my most recent overseas flights, but I also only wore them at full altitude
aeternum 10/28/2025||
I'm going back to the Airpods Pro 2.

Pro 3 is a step backwards, there are these ANC noise issues not only on flights but also during heal-strikes when running down a hill, a staticky thump rather than high-pitched.

I've also had other more rare feedback issues. The Pro2s basically never had feedback issues unless you actually rubbed the outside of them.

jdelman 10/28/2025||
I've noticed a big problem with AirPods Pro 3 on the NYC subway. Maybe my fit isn't right, but Adaptive/Transparent mode is a lot less "transparent" with really loud background noise - I can tell I'm listening to a processed signal rather than the natural muted sound of the AirPods Pro 2.
jherskovic 10/28/2025||
Love my APP3, upgraded from APP2 and have only one regret... no Comply Foam tips available yet. Why does Apple not go all-in on memory foam, I dunno, but at least the APP2 version was so much better it's not even funny.

With the Apple XS tips, which otherwise fit well for me, any yawn means the APP3 fall out.

cbeach 10/28/2025|
Just one data point, but I was on a flight this weekend and AirPods Pro 3 worked fine for me with ANC. No feedback or other noises, just a slight bit of wind noise when the overhead air duct was directed straight at my head (so I angled the duct slightly away from me).
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