Airbus is to offer fliers the chance to catch some mile-high sleep by fitting sleeping berths in its airliners’ cargo decks.

The pan-European planemaker is working with cabin equipment manufacturer Zodiac to develop modules containing beds that slot into the cargo spaces below the main deck of its aircraft.

The companies say the products will be interchangeable with regular cargo containers, meaning they can be swapped out when not in demand with the space being used to carry freight instead.

Modules will be designed to fit into aircraft using the current runners and wheels system that is used to hold cargo pallets, meaning aircraft will not have to be reconfigured to hold them.

Airbus and Zodiac believe this means they could be loaded into the lower deck of an aircraft within the normal turnaround time it takes to refuel, clean and load a plane.

“This approach to commercial air travel is a step change towards passenger comfort,” said Geoff Pinner, Airbus’s head of cabin and cargo. “We have already received very positive feedback from several airlines on our first mock-ups on this project, which will introduce a new passenger experience and add value for airlines.”