Overview
- Multiple user accounts describe a high‑pitched whine that starts minutes after takeoff, often around 39,000 feet, and can overwhelm noise cancellation.
- Affected flyers say the problem is intermittent, appears more often in the left earbud, and typically disappears on the ground, indicating a flight‑specific edge case.
- Aggregated reporting cites a likely cause of tip seal instability that lets in a steady tone the ANC system attempts to cancel, creating a self‑amplifying squeal.
- Temporary relief is reported from reseating the bud, yawning, swapping tip sizes, avoiding contact near the outer mic, or switching to Adaptive/Transparency or turning ANC off.
- Outlets note most users are unaffected, but advise travelers to test during return windows and carry backups, as replacements have shown the same behavior in flight and Apple has not issued guidance.