Commercial aircraft are used to transport passengers between various locations. Aircraft typically include multiple galleys to store food and beverages on the aircraft. The food and beverages are typically stored in galley carts which are transported to the aircraft and stored in refrigerated compartments or zones in the galleys.
In general, galleys onboard aircraft are used to stow numerous items for use during flights. A typical galley includes stowage compartments that are located at various heights. For example, a refrigerated compartment may extend between a floor and a counter that may be three to four feet above the floor. Various other compartments may be located proximate to a ceiling of the galley. Accordingly, flight attendants may not be tall enough to reach certain elevated compartments when standing on the floor of the galley.
To reach the elevated compartments, a flight attendant may remove a lower container to use as a makeshift step stool to reach the elevated compartment. However, a typical container is not intended to be used as a step stool, and may be unstable. For example, certain removed containers may not be strong enough to support the weight of an individual. Moreover, the removed container may slip or shift when a flight attendant is standing thereon, which poses a hazard.
Certain galleys include a footstep that is positioned between lower galley compartments. The footstep is configured to be pivoted between retracted and extended support positions. In the retracted position, the footstep is stowed between adjacent galley compartments (such as within a galley divider wall between adjacent compartments). In the extended support position, a flight attendant may step on the footstep to reach elevated compartments.
However, a typical galley footstep is narrow. For example, a typical galley footstep may be a pivotal bar that fits between adjacent galley compartments. As such, the typical galley footstep is approximately ¼ inch in diameter or width. Such a small footstep may be difficult to stand on for certain flight attendants, particularly those wearing certain types of shoes or heels. In short, the space between adjacent galley compartments is generally not large enough to accommodate a footstep that provides a stable base to support an individual.