Samsaf

This might be a really dumb question, but what would be your suggestions for a foot rest for a long plane ride? My legs are short, and it's really uncomfortable to be on a plane ride for 8 hours.

I thought of bringing a really small cooler, packing it with snacks, and then using that as a foot rest.

Or is there something plastic that blows up (like a pillow except rectangular) that would be good for this?

Thanks!

janisj

Actually, Magellan's and other sites sell a small folding foot rest. I am "height challenged" and my legs just ache after a long flight since my feet don't touch the floor. None of my tall friends have any sympathy - but you know how uncomfortable it is. http://www.magellans.com/store/Healt...ionIF477?Args=

But ya know - these footrests are heavy and more trouble than they are worth IMHO. If you kick it over you have to crawl around under the seat in front to retrieve it. I bought one about 8 or 10 years ago - used it on two trips to Europe - and then sold it at a garage sale.

Now I just rest my feet on my handbag/carry on

Samsaf

Yeah, that's why I was thinking of just taking a small cooler. We'd be able to use the cooler on our trip, anyway. Maybe that would be the best thing, rather than buying something especially made for that.

Thanks from another "height challenged" Fodorite!

Anonymous

Be sure to check with your airline about premitted size and contents. Remember that for takeoff and landing, your footrest item will have to be stowed, not in the space directly below your dangling legs.

Raghnall

For those long flights I have a plastic storage box. It's about 14 x 9 x 6 inches and it works great as a footrest. I think I paid something like $5 at target for it and I use it for my camera, snacks, book, mp3, and other must haves. I also have a strap to keep it closed since it is designed to be a storage box and not a suitcase. It works for me.

birder

My husband bought a hanging footrest - it's just clips so you clip it to the seat pocket in front of you, and you can adjust the height. I took 3 trans-Pacific flights in 6 days (crazy, I know), and I used this each time. It is really a life saver.

I just went and got it, and it's called the Foot Hanger. So perhaps you could find it online. It looks cheap so it can't be that expensive, but it's simply wonderful for long flights.

Samsaf

The Foot Hanger sounds good, except that for our flight to Hawaii we have exit row seats which are sort of like bulkhead seats (except not classified as bulkhead), so there is no seat in front to hang anything. I think I'll run out to Target this weekend to look for something.

Thanks for all your help!

gail

I just pull out my soft-sided tote carry-on from under the seat and use that - as long as it is under seat in front of you for take-off and landing, no one cares.

Betsy

Oh Sam, I feel your pain. A few years ago I saw an inflatable clear plastic footrest cube in a London photoshop (of all places). Haven't seen one since and have kicked myself for not buying it on the spot. Here's what I found by googling hanging footrest (think I'd rather spend the $40+ on something else and bring along a box or something to use on the plane). If anyone has found a solution to this painful problem, please post it here.

http://www.superiorfootrest.com/home.html
$35 + $6 shipping

J_Correa

I use my carryon bag as well - just stow it under the seat for take off and landing and then bring it out other times. It works pretty well. That seat hanger thing sounds great too.

birder

Well, I can't find the "Foot Hanger" anywhere on line. It's not like anything anyone has posted photos of. Maybe I'll have to take a photo of it and upload it! Wow, I'm glad I haven't lost it or anything - I almost left it after one flight. Didn't realize they were so hard to come by these days!

TxTravelPro

I often use a carry on and use that for a foot rest after take off.

Betsy

Additional resources for the vertically challenged:

www.totestools.com
www.alltvstuff.com/jb040620.html
www.brandsonsale.com/cg-003690-images.html

TxTravelPro

Bulkhead seats are actually my favorite in coach. The only problem is that I cannot have my bag handy... But I like to sit in bulkhead on longer flights because I put on my cute little flight socks and put my feet up on the bulkhead wall.
Not only does it raise them up but I can also push myself against the seat which seems to help.
If anyone finds a link for a 'foot hanger' let me know!

irishiningo

Sam, check with your airline. A friend had exit row seats on either American or Aer Lingus, and they wouldn't let them put anything on the floor in front of them, for 2 reasons: (1) exit pathway needed to be clear, and (2) people standing in line for the lav.

Gretchen

I'm with the previous poster. I don't WANT you to be able to have anything on the floor in front of the emergency exit. And I will bet the airline doesn't either.

Samsaf

Yeah, last year when we flew back from Hawaii we had bulkhead seats, and the flight attendant wouldn't let me put my feet on the wall in front of me. She sat there most of the flight making sure I didn't try to do it! I was very bummed, but she was so mean and in such a bad mood that I knew I better not try it.

I usually just use a carry-on, too, but this year we're only taking 2 carry-ons; one of them has my camera equipment in it, so I definitely won't want to rest my feet on that, and the other one is my husband's backpack which will have his laptop in it. So that's why I was trying to think of something else.

suze

Seems like a little old-fashioned hard-sided suitcase would work. The kind, you know, that were "cosmetic cases"... the smallest size of a luggage set from the 50's. I have several at home I use for storage. That is exactly what you need.

TxTravelPro

Wow, I would freak out if I took the bulkhead seat and they would not allow me to prop my feet up. I know for a fact there is no AA policy on this (I only fly AA)
I always take my obviously VERY clean socks so I am not propping anything offensive on the bulkhead wall.

Regarding exit rows... I have never had a problem blocking the exit row while in flight. If I have to fly coach transatlantic, I always book 31A,B on an AA 777 and we always put our bags in front of us to use as a foot rest.
I also book exit row in domestic coach about 75% of the time and during the flight my rather large briefcase is right at my feet.
If the plane drops from the sky, my bag will not be in your way.
If there is some reason we would have to suddenly land, tray tables go up, stuff gets put away and everything is back to take-off condition.
They will not

Betsy

I agree, Suze, those little hard-sided cases would be perfect if they weren't so heavy. We're flying Virgin Blue for our internal Australia flights, and their weight restrictions are severe, so I'm looking for the lightest weight possible for a carryon.