When talking about air travel gadgets, it’s important to remember that the brains behind said gadgets don’t always run their ideas by the airlines. That is why we’re sometimes faced with travel gadget ideas that literally don’t fly.

Case in point: Personalized Airplane Seat Covers. They’re meant to keep things clean, comfortable, and germ-free when you’re traveling. The only problem is, you can’t use them:

“Airplane seat cushions and covers must meet stringent flammability standards before they are certified for onboard use. The personalized seat covers that are now being marketed, and that have been seen on several televisions news shows, will not meet the certification requirements. The FAA has recommended that airlines not allow these devices to be used onboard.” (From Fly Away Cafe)

Before you shell out the cash or take a TV reporter’s word for it, make sure you contact the airline to see if your travel gadget of choice is really ready and legal for travel.

For those of us who have grown to love Southwest Airline’s first-come/first-serve open seating ways, things almost turned ugly today. Southwest had been considering doing away with open seating in favor of a more traditional seating policy.

I have to admit, I was a little bummed when I heard things might go the other way, but my fellow Standard Uprighter, Anne, told me she was always annoyed by how you had to sit on the floor and stake your claim if you wanted a decent seat (even if you were in Group A or B). Well, Southwest has found a solution that pleases us both. They are maintaining an open seating policy, but there’s no more sitting on the ground or slyly using your laptop to hold your place in line . The Group structure is still in place, but now you will get a number (a place in line, if you will) to go along with it:

Starting in early November, customers of Southwest Airlines Co. will be assigned a letter-number combination on their boarding passes, which will reserve their spot in their boarding group. According to a Southwest statement, ‘when a gate agent calls a boarding group, passengers will take their place in their numerical order.’ (From MSNBC)

Part of me will miss the “free-for-all” that was boarding a Southwest plane in the past, but this seems like a move that will keep both SW die-hards and airline traditionalists happy…at least for a little while anyway.

Cramped airline seats have never been the best place to rest your weary bones, but now as travelers spend more time sitting on the tarmac and more time in the air, flights can be downright painful. Well, the folks behind Best Seat believe they have the answer to all your in-flight muscle pain woes:

“Best Seat is not like anything you have ever experienced before. This new-patented CCPM Technology gently changes the pressure points under you as you sit to greatly increase the circulation in your buttocks and thighs while you sit.”

Well, who can argue with increased circulation in the buttocks?

Best Seat has been used by air travelers, truck drivers, and people who just sit a lot, and it made it on to MSNBC’s 20 Great Travel Gadgets list. It’ll run you about $225. I’d love to hear if anyone has used it and found it at as exciting as they make it sound.

Speaking of airline seat massages; my fellow Standard Upright Positioner, Anne, will be flying First Class on Virgin America very soon, and she’s going to let everybody know how relaxing their built-in chair-massage truly is. I, too, will be flying soon. Of course, I’ll be in coach on American, so I’ll let you know how those free sodas work out.

Yeah, yeah, we could all buy our own jets and the problem would disappear. But until then, the fine folks at Gadget Duck have the solution: Knee Defender!

Knee Defender is basically 2-little plastic clips that you attach to your tray table arms which prevents the galoot in front of you from lowering his seat back. Only problem is, it can only be used when your tray table is down, so its great if youre using a laptop or eating, but the gizmo cant do much otherwise. Still, its a steal at $14.95.

And what about that galoot in front of you? The Gadget Duckians arent completely heartless: they have a Knee Defender card you’re supposed to give the fellow before you lock him the standard upright position, a card that politely asks him not recline. But at the first sign he’s going to do it anyway, whip out the Knee Defender and watch the fun!

As they say at Gadget Duck, The right to recline my seat ends where the other mans knee begins.