Foot Hammocks: Savior of Economy Fliers, Scourge of Airlines
Travelers are getting creative to make flying in the coach cabin more comfortable, but some products could present safety risks
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By Jacob Passy
May 28, 2024 8:00 am ET
More fliers are using elevated footrests in their eternal struggle to get comfortable in coach. Airlines are looking to put the kibosh on them.
The product that fliers are using is called a foot hammock or a foot sling. It hangs from the seat-back tray table to allow travelers to prop their feet up for a more relaxed sitting position. For shorter travelers whose feet might not reach the ground, resting them in the hammock can reduce strain on their thighs and buttocks.
The hammock is one of the many tools in frequent fliers’ arsenal to make a flight in economy easier to endure, especially for long-haul trips overseas. The items come in all shapes and sizes: cup holders that hang from plane windows, inflatable mattresses for kids to nap upon, eye masks that attach to the seat’s headrest to improve the user’s posture.
Airlines, however, have moved to stop some of them from use. Carriers have said child beds, knee defenders and now the hammock can become an obstacle or cause damage to the seat.
“Items like foot hammocks and inflatable footrests aren’t permitted onboard Air New Zealand flights for operational and safety reasons,” said Kylie McGillivray-Brown, general manager of customer experience at the airline.
Alexa Caradimitropoulo, a 27-year-old who lives in Hoboken, N.J., goes on multiple trips a year with her family, often to overseas destinations. Despite being a frequent flier, she usually sits in the cheap seats.
On a March family trip to Japan, her mother bought a bunch of products for the family to test out during the long flight in the hopes they would all be more comfortable. One of the products she used during the flight and showcased in a TikTok video was a foot hammock.
She now says it is something every traveler should own.
“There is something about having your feet up during the flight where it is just so much more comfortable,” said Caradimitropoulo, who works in affiliate marketing for a skin-care company. She said she has sciatica that can be exacerbated by sitting for long periods.
The foot hammock prevented her from feeling any pain during the flight. She said the flight crews on her departure and return flights never bothered her about the hammock.
Caradimitropoulo’s video has since garnered more than four million views.
Product prohibitions
Alaska Airlines and Sun Country Airlines stipulate that carry-on items can’t hang from, be attached to or alter the design or function of aircraft seats in any way. A spokeswoman for Sun Country said such products are “not certified for flying and can’t be used.”
In these cases, the determination of whether an item is in violation of the carrier’s rules is made by crew members.
“It’s ultimately up to the discretion of the crew to look at the item and make sure it won’t hinder the safety of the crew or customers,” an American Airlines spokeswoman said in an email. Delta Air Lines didn’t respond to a question about its policies.
A spokeswoman for Virgin Atlantic said foot hammocks and similar devices “are not permitted onboard due to the stresses they put on the seat structure and may impact on the customer comfort in front or behind.”
The policies do vary from carrier to carrier. Southwest Airlines, for instance, doesn’t have its own ban on any items apart from following the federal guidelines and regulations, a spokesman said.
A spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that the agency’s regulations require that all carry-on items “be stored in a suitable closet, overhead bin or under the seat during taxi, takeoff and landing.”
The agency doesn’t have any specific prohibition on items like foot hammocks, and said airlines determine whether to allow or prohibit those products.
Carry-on concerns
Jess Bohorquez, a 33-year-old Chicago resident who works in market research, said she has a hard time sleeping with her feet flat on the ground. The hammock has helped.
Like Caradimitropoulo, she also posted a TikTok featuring a foot hammock among other travel gadgets. She learned about the product from a friend.
“I thought it was just the most genius way to give you a little bit more comfort with your feet,” said Bohorquez, who also creates content for social media focused on personal finance, credit cards and travel.
On Reddit, users have posted hacks to fashion fanny packs and scarves into makeshift foot hammocks.
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Safety is a major consideration for carriers when they set their own policies for what they allow on flights. Any object that isn’t properly stowed can become an obstacle in the case of an emergency evacuation, said David S. Ryan, an assistant professor and the executive director of the Robertson Safety Institute at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Arizona.
“If the airplane is on fire, you don’t want anything getting in your way,” Ryan said.
Something like a foot hammock or a cup holder that hangs from the seat back or another part of the plane risks causing damage if not used with care, Ryan warned. A damaged tray table could become its own impediment in an emergency.
Comfort devices could also become nuisances to fellow passengers. Nearly a decade ago, a United Airlines flight was forced to divert after a fight erupted between two passengers over the use of a “knee defender” that prevents seats from reclining.
Bohorquez stressed she makes sure any device she uses is kosher with those around her.
“We’re all crammed in there together,” she said. “If you’re uncertain if something is inconveniencing someone else or if it is OK, I think it is always better to lead with a question and just ask.”
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Write to Jacob Passy at jacob.passy@wsj.com
Abycats' Thoughts 
I’d rather be uncomfortable then unsafe!
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And we agree again. (Sorry I’m delinquent in my response.)
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