Are Inflatable Footrests Allowed on Planes?

Traveling is great— you get to visit new places, meet new people along with their cultures, and enjoy diverse cuisines. Air travel especially is super fun. It’s magical how we can fly like birds without wings!

But sitting idle on an airplane can get painful pretty quickly. To increase comfort, some people choose inflatable footrests. Some are real snug and give the feel of a sofa, but are inflatable footrests allowed on planes?

They are, but not during takeoff or landing. The footrest can’t block other passengers or the flight attendants’ walkways.

But are footrests worth it, and do all airlines allow them? Read until the end as we’ll answer these questions. Some useful tips to get comfy in an airplane seat will be provided as well.

Why Should You Use Portable Inflatable Footrests?

On an airplane, you’ve to sit around for hours on end. Due to this, our muscles get cramped up sore, and blood circulation throughout the body decreases. It isn’t ideal at all. If done for too long, it can even cause health complications.

To solve this issue, some people make the smart decision of getting neck rests, or in our case, footrests.

Inflatable footrests are an incredibly compact tool. They’re small enough to be put in mini-bags and can be inflated easily using your mouth or portable inflators.

Once used, you can let out the air easily to deflate them. By elevating your feet, inflatable footrests offer proper blood flow throughout your body, allowing you to rest better, and stress out less in even the most tiring journeys.

Do Airlines Allow Inflatable Footrests?

Inflatable footrests are allowed on almost all airlines. But you’re not allowed to use them during two set times.

During takeoff, it’s not allowed to use inflatable footrests due to the passenger’s safety. If they’re in an inclined position with their feet in the air during takeoff, turbulence or other discrepancies pose a risk of injury.

The other time you’re not allowed to use an inflatable footrest is during landing. For this, the same reason applies, so the flight attendants will advise you not to use footrests during this time due to safety reasons.

Your inflatable footrests can’t block the walkway either. As long as you keep these things in check, you won’t face any trouble taking inflatable footrests on an airplane.

Types of Airplane Footrests

There are mainly 2 types of airplane footrests—

1. Hammock Footrests

These are essentially hammocks for your feet. These have a dangly space to rest your feet upon. They can be hung using adjustable straps, connecting them to the front food table.

You can adjust the straps as tightly or loosely as you want. Hammock footrests are usually more compact and require less space to set up.

For a comfortable hammock footrest, we’d recommend the Travel Footrest by Andyer. It’s designed to be taken with you, especially during travel. And the footrest takes just a few seconds to set up.

2. Inflatable Footrests

They are just like they sound. They are compact and have an opening where you can blow air in to inflate. These are often comparable to mini air mattresses, as some have the feature of inflating and deflating specific areas for maximum comfort.

This type of footrest takes a bit more space and can’t be used during takeoff or landing. You’ve to make sure it doesn’t obstruct passageways for the cabin crew and other plane passengers.

Which is Better between Hammock Footrest and Inflatable Footrest?

If you’re to pick one between a hammock and an inflatable footrest, we’d recommend the inflatable footrest.

They’re much more reliable and multifunctional than hammock footrests. Hammock footrests take less space, but they don’t provide much comfort. Keeping your feet rested on a hanging surface with space in between isn’t good for your legs. It might cause too much unnecessary tension, create marks on your legs, and even obstruct blood circulation in some cases.

On the contrary, inflatable footrests are multifunctional and reliable. You can individually control the inflated air and customize it for comfort on some versions.

Yes, they take more space, but we’d recommend sticking to inflatable footrests instead, considering the comfort downsides of hammock footrests.

Do Installed Airplane Footrests Work?

First, let’s figure out if the footrest already installed on an airplane is good or not.

By default, in most airlines, you get a footrest attached to your seat. Usually, airplane footrests are just rectangular slabs attached to the bottom of your seat. You can extend outward and rest your foot upon them.

Unfortunately, these are pretty basic. In some cases, they hinder rather than improve comfort for the passenger. Most passengers complain that they’re either too stiff or too soft for their legs.

These things considered, we’d recommend getting a portable inflatable footrest specifically for you. They’re pretty inexpensive and provide perfect comfort.

Tips to Stay Comfy on A Plane

As promised, let’s go through some tips you can use to get the most comfort during your travels.

1. Ensure Proper Sleep

Air journey can be pretty taxing. To reduce tiredness, ensure you’re getting proper sleep the night before the journey. Sleeping properly on the plane is needed as well.

To improve sleep on an airplane, we’d highly recommend using a sleep mask [link to Do Sleep Masks Help Sleep In Plane]. They’re another cheap and inexpensive way to ensure a relaxing plane journey.

2. Bring Enough Snacks

Another thing we’d suggest is bringing enough snacks. Snacks are allowed on an airplane, and you should make the best use of this. Although most airplanes provide occasional snacks, it’s recommended to be prepared yourself.

Have high-calorie, energetic items like snickers or peanuts. They provide instant energy, and you’ll feel less tired throughout the journey.

3. Proper Footwear and Clothing

People tend to wear their most expensive and flashy clothing and shoes during travel. But this isn’t the right approach. It is often overlooked during air travel.

As for shoes, you should avoid heavy shoes such as boots or flashy high heels. These aren’t the best thing for multiple-hour journeys. Instead, you should stick to the comfiest pair of house shoes you have. Sandals or slippers are ideal.

In the case of clothes, multiple layers of clothing are best. It is because you can take one of them off and have another ready-to-go underneath. So, you can wear a nice dress on top and have a comfier, homely dress underneath to last you for the rest of the flight.

4. Inflatable Footrests

And finally, inflatable footrests are a great way to stay comfortable on an airplane. If you add them with the tips we’ve mentioned until now, you’re sure to have one of the best airplane journeys of your life!


Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if my airline doesn’t allow inflatable footrests, but I brought one?

Usually, the airport will keep the product with them. They’ll be treated as a confiscated or lost product. If they aren’t illegal, they might be sold or donated to charity. Either way, in most cases, the airport will have full control over what happens with the item next.

Will inflatable footrest take up too much space?

In matters of space, inflatable footrests aren’t a bad bet at all. It’ll take equal space of maybe a mini blanket or air mattress. You can even carry it as hand luggage if you haven’t other things with you.

Are seat cushions a good idea?

Yes! Seat cushions are allowed on almost all airlines, and you can carry them with you safely. If you have a higher-class ticket, say business or first class, the airlines will provide a good neck rest or seat cushion for your convenience.

What are some airlines that disallow inflatable footrests?

Ans. Unfortunately, airlines like British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, United Airways, and a few don’t allow inflatable footrests. The reasons are mostly safety issues. But rules are subject to change.
To be absolutely sure, contact the help desk before packing one for your next flight.

Should I buy inflatable or hammock footrests?

We’d recommend inflatable footrests because hammock footrests are a bit inconvenient. They’re not allowed on most airlines as well compared to inflatable footrests.


Final Thoughts

If someone traveling by air asks you, “are inflatable footrests allowed on planes?” you’d be able to answer them effortlessly now.

As a final note, we’d strongly urge you to contact your airlines before packing one for your next trip. If they’re allowed, congrats; you might just have one of the best flights of your life. But don’t be disheartened if they’re not. You can follow my trips and still have a comfortable flight. I wish you a safe journey.


Sharing is caring!

Leave a Comment