Where ordinary flight earplugs mainly reduce noise, the Custom Audinc Fly carries a pressure-regulating filter: a small metal tube halfway along the canal of the plug, with only a 0.3 millimetre opening on the outside. Through that precisely calibrated opening the pressure change in the aircraft reaches your ear with a delay. That tackles the two things that make flying tiring: the noise and the pressure. An aircraft cabin easily sits at 80 to 85 dB(A) for hours. The Fly removes 29 dB of that engine and turbine noise but lets speech through: you follow conversations and hear the announcements. The plug is made of soft silicone from an impression of your ear and is certified as personal protective equipment (Regulation (EU) 2016/425). Ideal for frequent flyers, cabin crew and pilots, and for anyone who feels that stabbing pressure in the ears on every descent. If you are looking for earplugs for flying that really do something about air pressure and ear pain, this is the plug we recommend.

- Descent (the phase that causes most complaints): insert the earplugs about 45 minutes before landing, well before the aircraft starts descending. Leave them in until you are on the ground and the doors are open. - Climb: if you also have complaints on take-off, insert the plugs before departure and remove them about 30 minutes after take-off. - Whole flight: you may also leave them in for the entire flight for the quiet — with 29 dB of attenuation you sleep more easily and arrive more rested. Twist the plug slightly backwards when inserting so it seals completely; only a fully sealing plug can regulate pressure. After the flight, clean them with a damp cloth or our cleaning spray and store them in the case.

To be honest: the pain on descent arises in your middle ear, behind the eardrum. No earplug reaches there. What the Fly does is slow down the pressure change that arrives at your eardrum, so your body gets more time to equalise by itself. For most travellers that means noticeably less pressure sensation and less pain; if your Eustachian tube works well, you will mainly notice the quiet. 👉 Do not use earplugs with an ear infection, with grommets, with a perforated eardrum or shortly after ear surgery. If you have a heavy cold or sinusitis, even a pressure-regulating filter cannot remove the complaints — consult your GP first.

Measured according to EN 352-2 (mean attenuation in decibels).

The attenuation is fairly even across the frequencies, with the emphasis on the high tones. The hiss of the air conditioning and the whine of the turbines disappear, while voices (mid) come through relatively well. For comparison: the Pure Tones Flying offers a choice from SNR 10 to 23 dB; the Fly sits above that at 29 dB.

The Fly is made of soft, skin-friendly silicone of 40 Shore A. The material flexes with your ear canal, even when it changes shape as you chew or talk — important for a plug that stays in for hours and must seal completely to regulate pressure. You choose from every colour of our soft silicone, from transparent to neon. Choose transparent and you can see the metal filter tube halfway along the canal; with an opaque colour only the 0.3 mm opening shows on the outside and the Fly looks like an ordinary earplug. You also choose the version: - Flat finish: canal model without handle, barely visible in the ear. - Mini grip: canal model with a small handle, easier to remove. - Grips: concha model that fills the whole outer ear, with handle — the most secure fit, also for sleeping. Your impression is scanned, the plug is constructed digitally and 3D-printed, post-cured and hand-finished. The pressure filter is then fitted and every plug is checked.

Not sure? At the fitting we look at your ears and your complaints and advise which plug suits you best.

You can take out loss protection at your fitting for € 13. You are then insured against loss for one year from the fitting date. If you lose your earplugs, you pay 30% excess for a replacement set. The scheme can be used once per set, or twice for half a set. The full terms are in our service policy .