Long story short, I have to check luggage anyway, am well within 50 lb. limit. Can I safely pack an old laptop without damaging it? I'm on a Delta domestic flight with a plane change. Please advise, thanks!

It's not the damage I'd be worried about. I NEVER, repeat NEVER check any computer. I always carry it with me. There are too many stories of theft from checked luggage. Never put anything of any value in checked luggage. Just my opinion.

I agree!

It is unlikely to be damaged, more likely to be stolen.

Agree - the risk comes from having the Laptop stolen rather than any potential damage(that risk is very, very small). Never put anything in your checked luggage that you couldn't live without in the event it gets stolen or lost.

Do thieves still want old laptops?

It might not get stolen. I had a bag with an easy access zippered slot on the front to hold my laptop. That bag took a three day trip to Guatemala by itself, spent a couple of days there, and made it to United baggage office at LAX all by itself with my laptop safely inside. YMMV

I would be concerned about damage as well as theft.

I remember standing with my son at the terminal window while his luggage was being loaded (and I use that term loosely) onto the plane.

We watched as these big burly guys literally threw the huge suitcases up into the holding area of the plane. Through the air they sailed, landing/crashing in the holding area. I'll never forget the look on my son's face as his bag was launched through the air and came crashing down. At least we knew his suitcase made it onto the flight.

I have never packed anything breakable in my luggage since I witnessed that.

Between the possibilities of theft and damage, no way would I pack a laptop -- even an old one.

Consider yourself lucky:

"It might not get stolen. I had a bag with an easy access zippered slot on the front to hold my laptop. That bag took a three day trip to Guatemala by itself, spent a couple of days there, and made it to United baggage office at LAX all by itself with my laptop safely inside. YMMV."

I never check anything I'm not willing to lose in 1 way or another. But with that in mind I do always check a bag. Carry what's not easily replaced. So if the laptop is expendable and the contents backed up I'd say go ahead but put it in the middle of all your soft things.

To me, it's more than just a matter of losing the laptop or whether the files are backed up. It's also the personal information you might have somewhere on that hard drive and the potential for identity theft.

Yes, the personal information you might have on the laptop is what needs to be protected. I think I noted on the "Lounge" thread, same topic, that lithium batteries are not permitted in checked baggage.

carry on

I would never put anything of value in a checked bag. Aside from the risk of theft I don't have great luck with misdirected luggage.