My big dissapointment with the bose QC is the quality of the plastic.
After a few flights the covering on the foam started to flake off, but
that's just cosmetic really. But after a few more flights, the
plastic started to crack, and needed to be glued up. They were end of
life after maybe a dozen return trips.

I got a pair of QC25's from a duty free D@x@@s about 3 years ago and use them on flights but sadly not actually driving the plane. Still look like new so maybe they've upped their plastics quality. I don't think the bass is excessive as some are claiming, very similar to Grado's open back ones.