Last month, I flew to Xiamen, China to attend the 2025 IATA Cabin Safety Conference. I’ve been to a few IATA events over the years, but this one felt different. Larger. More structured. And most importantly, far more open to innovation in passenger comfort.

For Kooshy Kids, this event wasn’t just about showing up. It was about progressing the conversation around child comfort, safety, inflight wellbeing, and finally addressing the inconsistencies parents experience around the world when using comfort products on planes. It was also a rare opportunity to talk directly with the people who make the decisions that shape these policies globally.

As someone who launched Kooshy Kids after a nightmare flight with my own children, standing in a room full of international cabin safety leaders still feels surreal. But this year, it also felt validating. The industry is finally catching up to what families have known for years: comfort is not a luxury for children on long flights. It’s a necessity.

The session that changed everything

One of the highlights of the conference was a session specifically dedicated to passenger comfort items, hosted by two people I have enormous respect for:

• Matt Whip, Head of Cabin Safety at British Airways
• Stephen Barry, Head of Cabin Safety at Qantas

Both Matt and Stephen sit on the IATA Cabin Operations Safety Task Force (COSTF) — IATA’s formal international task force made up of airline cabin-safety specialists from around the world. This group contributes to the guidance and best practices that airlines rely on when assessing products used onboard, including comfort items like ours.

Both British Airways and Qantas have assessed Kooshy Kids products this year. Being recognised by major airlines at this level is something I’m incredibly proud of, especially knowing the amount of documentation, safety validation, testing and risk assessment that goes into these reviews.

Hearing our story told by them

During the session, Matt and Stephen spoke openly about why they approved products like ours. They explained the depth of their evaluations, but also the genuine value these products bring to families travelling long distances.

Hearing them articulate the Kooshy Kids story from the perspective of airline safety leaders — rather than from myself — was surreal. It felt like confirmation that the work we’ve put in behind the scenes, from risk assessments to redesigns, was being recognised at an industry level.

Speaking directly to every airline in the room

The biggest moment for me personally came when the floor was opened up and I was able to speak directly to the entire room of airline representatives. I explained our range, the safety features behind each design, and the importance of global consistency in acceptance.

They encouraged airlines who had not yet assessed our products to come and talk to me, and many came to me afterwards requesting information, documentation and samples. It opened doors that would usually take months of cold outreach and follow-up.

Standing there, representing a brand that I created as a tired mum wanting a better travel experience for my kids, speaking face-to-face with decision-makers from airlines around the world — it was a full-circle moment.

Why this matters for families

What came out of Xiamen is bigger than industry discussion.

Airlines are finally beginning to align on what safe, approved comfort items should look like.
They’re recognising that parents don’t want uncertainty.
They don’t want to gamble on whether their travel comfort device will be allowed.
They want safe, predictable, consistent guidance.

Kooshy Kids has always prioritised safety and quality, but now we’re seeing that work translate into real change. Conversations are shifting. Assessments are being completed. Approvals are happening. Airlines are seeing the difference between engineered safety-led products and generic inflatables found online.

For families, this means more confidence.
More predictability.
More sleep for children (and parents) on long flights.

And for me, it means we are doing exactly what we set out to do — making air travel easier, safer and more comfortable for families, backed by genuine airline endorsement.

Looking forward

I left Xiamen feeling energised, inspired and incredibly proud. Not just of our products, but of the impact they’re having. I also left with new contacts, new assessment requests, and a clearer roadmap for how Kooshy Kids can continue leading the way in family travel comfort globally.

There’s more I can’t share yet, but what I can say is this: the next year will be a significant one for airline partnerships. And the industry is finally listening.

Lou x