I’ve never really liked those headphones they use on flights. They’re uncomfortable, ill-fitting and the sound’s almost always terrible. Then there are headphones used on my recent China Southern flight.

WTF is this? The ‘phones are completely wireless (har har!) and are basically hollow tubes of plastic moulded to a stethoscope-like form. Yup, the hollow, wireless tubes are not a mistake.

Each set of stetho…I mean, headphones come with white sponge cylinders that you’ve to fit over the ear area or risk poking out your eardrums (I think). There’s some  means to adjust the height of the headphones but I’m not too sure what use that is.

These headphones work by transporting and amplifying the sound from the holes in your armrest to your ears. It’s not like a modern day version of string-and-cups because that requires more technology. This is like a sound-hose. If you pull up the armrest and listen carefully, you can actually hear music coming out from it.

Ridiculous.

Or sheer genius.