Alaska Airlines Headphones
Premium onboard headphones developed to combine purposeful design, passenger comfort, and high-quality audio performance.
Context
As Design Lead at WESSCO International, I led the creative direction and product development of Alaska Airlines’ new onboard headphones in collaboration with LSTN. The program launched in April 2026 as part of Alaska Airlines’ refreshed premium cabin experience following the integration of Hawaiian Airlines into the Alaska brand.
WESSCO introduced LSTN as Alaska’s premium headphone partner, recognising the shared values between the two brands around thoughtful design and passenger experience. I worked closely with LSTN to develop multiple headphone concepts before presenting them to Alaska Airlines, then collaborated with both teams to refine the final product for production.
The result is a purpose-built onboard headphone that combines LSTN’s consumer audio expertise with the operational requirements of commercial aviation.
Challenge
The challenge was adapting a premium consumer electronics brand for airline use.
The headphones needed to deliver excellent comfort, audio performance, and durability while meeting airline operational requirements, manufacturing constraints, and Alaska’s premium brand standards. Every detail - from colour and finish to branding and engineering - needed to support a product that felt premium while remaining commercially viable.
Our Approach
Developing the Design Direction
Working with LSTN, I explored multiple industrial design and CMF directions before presenting concepts to Alaska Airlines. The selected design balanced simplicity, comfort, and brand expression while remaining appropriate for long-haul use.
Refining Materials and Finish
The final headphones feature a soft-touch rubber-coated finish manufactured from recycled ABS (RABS). Colour, texture, and branding were carefully refined to create a premium appearance while ensuring durability under repeated airline use.
Engineering for Airline Service
Alongside the industrial design, the product was developed to meet airline technical requirements, including a 40 mm neodymium driver, 3.5 mm single-pin connection, 32 Ohm impedance, 98 dB sensitivity, and a 1.5 metre cable. Every component was specified to balance passenger comfort, sound quality, and operational reliability.
Sampling and Production
Working closely with LSTN, Alaska Airlines, WESSCO’s sourcing teams, and manufacturing partners, I refined materials, branding, construction, and product quality through multiple rounds of sampling before launch.
The Work
Led the creative direction and industrial design development of Alaska Airlines’ onboard headphones.
Introduced LSTN as Alaska Airlines’ premium headphone partner.
Developed multiple industrial design and CMF concepts before final product selection.
Refined materials, finishes, branding, and ergonomic details for airline use.
Worked with engineering teams to balance audio performance, durability, and passenger comfort.
Managed product sampling, manufacturing refinement, and production development.
Collaborated with Alaska Airlines, LSTN, and manufacturing partners throughout implementation.
Impact
