Child airplane seat extenders & sleep devices for planes

Getting your child to have a decent sleep on a long haul flight, is the dream of many parents, including my own!

There are now a myriad of products on the market offering an inflight sleep solution; some with either an airplane seat extender which extends a mattress from the footwell to the seat; inflates into the footwell to fill in the gap or acts as a larger comfy but portable pillow.

We have tried and research many and with our background in aviation and contacts, our guide shows the types most likely to be allowed and which airlines allow seat extenders, officially!

AD/Affiliate link. This article may contain affiliate links. Please read more in our disclosure policy here. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

Everything you need to know about Child Airplane Seat Extenders, Sleep Devices & Inflatable Leg-Rests

We’ve tried and tested most, research and update which airlines do & don’t allow them and found out all you need to know before making a purchase.

Inflight sleep products like these, have become a natural part of our cabin baggage, shared out to friends to try too, and have a degree of influence over which airlines we now choose to fly to some destinations, especially when we fly long-haul.

These inflight comfort devices or seat extenders, (also known as “inflatable foot rests”, “inflatable travel mattresses”, “convertible in-flight beds” or “bed boxes” ), are an ingenious way of converting an economy seat into a comfortable flat bed for kids and cheaper than an upgrade!

They take little time to set up, are relatively light and don’t take up much space: all attractive qualities for parents traveling with kids.

What child seat extenders are available and which are the best?

The two main contenders (and the ones which are currently most likely to be approved by airlines are):

Jetkids BedBox by Stokke

This is the only one I haven’t tried, but I have friends who have. It not only converts an economy seats into an inflight bed, but also acts as ride on suitcase with some extra storage space inside. (It also houses the mattress.) With the straps you can pull a 3 year old along around the airport or offer them somewhere clean to sit whilst in a queue.

On board, you simply take out the mattress, stand the suitcase up and et voila the bed is made! It is one of only two brands officially allowed on Virgin Atlantic. (Don’t worry, we have a full guide to what’s allowed on what airline further below, as more airlines do allow this type.

Pros: it doubles up as a ride on and is very easy to set up.

Cons: Not a lot of storage space and bulky if your kids doesn’t want to ride on it!

PlanePal

Dimensions: 75cm wide x 37cm long x 44cm high

Age range: 2-8 years  

Price from PlanePal UK: £92.99 (Discount code: KEQWELCOME for 10% off first order.)
Planepal stockist in USA (Keep ’em Quiet) $119.99 (Discount code: KEQWELCOME for 10% off first order and free shipping for orders over $75.)

An inflatable foot rest made of smooth black vinyl which is simple to use: blow it up and position in your child’s foot space.

The inventors have designed in flexibility by allowing you to use it in three ways: lengthways in line with the seat ideal if you have the extra space at the bulkhead bassinet position), widthways across the seat base, or upside down.

That’s because the Plane Pal is T-shaped and wider at the top than the bottom, so if you’re struggling to squeeze it in behind the seat in front, just flip it on its head.

It takes just over two minutes to inflate using a hand pump, which comes in the Plane Pal carry case along with the mattress.

Pros: Packs up small, easy to set up.

Cons: Can be a bit fiddly with the pump. For a full PlanePal review on Singapore Airlines see here

One to watch:

Do airlines allow inflatable footrests and airplane seat extenders?

Quick answer? Some do and some don’t. Below details which airlines allow seat extenders, officially allow or prohibit them and state this on their website. Just click on the airline links to view their entire policy.

Airlines who officially do NOT allow most sleep travel gadgets/airplane beds for toddlers and say so on their website are:

• Air France
• Air New Zealand – they do have a SkyCouch though. Note: they do not allow the CoziGo either.
• Alaska – they do not allow any inflatable footrest or anything that extends a seat or attached to the seat.
• Condor
• Delta – List of things prohibited: Knee defender, footrest or sling (Designed to attach to seat-back or window) Inflatable wedges, beds/cubes, Infant/baby hammock, personal pods and tents.)
• Emirates – will only allow Cozigo bassinet cover
• Eurowings
• Jetstar 
• Hawaiian – no inflatables or travel mattresses are allowed.
• Lufthansa
• THAI
• TUI
• Turkish Airlines – Confirmed directly with safety team that they do not allow any inflatable devices)
• South African
• Qantas – in August 2026 they allowed inflatable ones like Planepal – see below for more official details
• Qatar – Note they do not allow Cozigo either.
• United .

 Airlines which OFFICIALLY APPROVE some sleep devices for children (as long as certain guidelines are met) These airlines give clear guidelines and rules for use on their website:

However, note that the final decision will always rest with the crew.

• Air Asia They must meet certain criteria, including, fitting the seat’s pitch and width and properly secured onto the seat without interfering or causing damage to the armrest, tray table, and seat pocket.
• Air Canada – Infant beds like eg Flyaway, Bedbox can be used onboard when the plane seatbelt sign is off ie NOT during taxi, take-off, turbulence and landing. If traveling with Air Canada, and queried, please ask the crew politely to check their manuals as this is a recent change. Similar items are not permitted if they attached to a fixed part of the aircraft.
• Air Mauritius Note: children MUST be removed from any device if the seat belt sign is switched on.
• American Airways – Yes – see image below for full details.
• American Airlines – see image below
• ANA (Hammock-type bed products cannot be used) but inflatables such as Planepal, Flyaway or Bedbox types are allowed.
• British Airways. Now allow Planepal, (Can be used on a window, centre and bulkhead row centre seat when the person sitting in the window seat is in your party. Not permitted in an emergency exit row or on an aisle seat) Flyaway (Can be used on a window, centre and bulkhead row centre seat when the person sitting in the window seat is in your party. Not permitted in an emergency exit row or on an aisle seat) .and Bedbox (Can be used on a window and centre seat when the person sitting in the window seat is in your party. Not permitted in an emergency exit row, bulkhead row or an aisle seat.)and Kooshy Kids Kushion: (Can be used in all window and centre seating, including bulkhead rows when the person sitting next to the child is part in your party. Cannot be used in aisle seats. Not permitted in an emergency exit row, or one row forward or behind an emergency exit row.)
• Brussels Airline Inflight bed/leg rest extension e.g. BedBox, Fly Tot, 1st Class Kid Travel Pillow, Plane Pal are allowed. A device of this type is allowed, as long as it is not attached directly to the seat. It may not be used during take-off, taxiing or landing and it may not hinder other passengers. 
• Cathay Pacific
• Etihad
• EVA air
• Garuda Note: fasten the seatbelt at all times when using
• JAL
• KLM – (e.g. Wick, BedBox, Fly Tot, 1st Class Kid Travel Pillow, Plane Pal). (Inflight bed/legrest extensions that are attached to the seat (e.g. Fly LegsUp or FlyeBaby) are not permitted.
• LATAM
• Malaysia Airlines -(I verified with a current Malaysia Airlines crew member in Jan 2025 that Planepal was allowed.)
• Qantas Since August 2026, Qantas allow inflatable cubes – but they must not be self inflating. They must be able to Inflates manually – cubes with a battery powered pump or self-inflating battery-operated cubes can’t be used onboard. There must be a quick-release valve or another way to release air quickly if needed.
• Singapore Airlines – Note: Fasten the seatbelt at ALL times when using.
• Swiss: Some are allowed as long as they don’t attach to the seat. Devices for extending the seat cushion to create a flat space for small children may be used on seats next to a window or on middle seats in a block of seats between two aisles.
• They may not be used on aisle seats, in the row of seats behind a bulkhead, or on emergency exit seats.
• Virgin Atlantic – allow JetKids by Stokke BedBox (can only be used in middle or window seats (not in aisles). and Planepal and Flyaway brands only. Note: Fasten the seatbelt at ALL times when using.
• Virgin Australia
• WestJet – Say on socials they are permitted as long as they don’t attach to the seat.

---

Choose your seats wisely before using

All airlines that permit the use of the BedBox, PlanePal, FlyAway et al, do have certain requirements about their use, and where they can be used. For example, they must not be used on an aisle seat. Other rules include: (but are not limited too)

RULES FOR USING AN INFLIGHT SLEEP DEVICE

• Inflatable inflight beds may only be used at the window seats or the middle seat between the aisles.

• The childs head must be toward the back of their own seat.

• Your child must also be able to fasten the seatbelt under his or her arm when using the inflight bed.

•  If your child is under two years of age, he or she must be removed from the convertible inflight bed, and secured with an infant seatbelt whenever the seatbelt sign is switched on.

• The item must not interfere with the comfort of another passenger

• It must not be attached to any part of the aircraft.

• Some airlines specify that the seatbelt MUST be used at all times when using one of the sleep devices. Also note, some airlines will ask you to stop using the device if it is turbulent and the seat belt sign is on. Please do check the rules above.

My airline won’t allow a child seat extender. What other child sleep devices options are there?

Although there are gadgets like Fly Legs Up and the Flyebaby hammock, there are even fewer airlines which permit their use. This is because they directly apply weight to the tray table or seat which hasn’t been built or tested for that.

It can also cause damage to the seat and tray table. Below are a couple of products which seem to be permitted on most airlines as they are effectively a larger version of a travel pillow. There may however be restrictions on their use; for example on take off and during landing.

Travel Snug

The Travel Snug encompasses a child with a fleecy material. It pads out the seat a bit more and makes the arm rests a comfortable place to rest a weary head. It’s a bit bulky to carry, although it does have straps to make it easier, but it is very comfy. Read my full review for further details here.

Seat To Sleep

The Seat to Sleep is a very portable travel pillow. It packs up small and it is inflatable. Read my full review for further details here.