I’ll be jumping back into an airplane next month when I fly over to Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show again. I’ve been on several flights over the course of my lifetime and, while they’re not exactly the most pleasant of experiences, I’ve come to accept them as they come. This handy invention, however, could make flying just that much easier.

Available through Hammacher Schlemmer for $39.95, the Airplane Seat Back Valet gives you much easier access to your things that usual carry-on bags.

Normally, I prefer to take the aisle seat so that I can get to the overhead bin, but even then, it’s far from convenient. If you stow your back underneath the seat in front of you, you still have a very tight space to open the pockets and get at your gear.

Yes, you could look like a total goof with this seat back valet, but it means that you don’t have to rummage around to find your iPod, passport, reading material or whatever. One inaccuracy that I see with the picture, however, is the thermal mug along the right side. I thought they wouldn’t let you bring empty liquid containers on the plane!

Source: Gadgetreview