http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UC87wodcUWU

Did anyone else see the AA special &quot;Inside American Airlines: A Week in the Life&quot;, where they showed the baggage handling machines at DFW? That machine looked like it kicked the bags to different conveyor belts with a <b>huge</b> amount of force. I would think, no matter how well packed, the hard drive in the laptop would suffer.

Wasleys - what is the point of your question if you don't want to listen to answers. Fair enough, you decide to go your own way but why keep arguing with the people who have taken the time to offer advice?

Sarvowinner,

I have thanked people for responses, even though most failed to address the nub of the original question which was about weight and how to protect against damage and chose to concentrate on loss. I made a second post which explained the weight issue in greater detail. That cannot reasonably be described as 'keeping arguing'.


A_Traveller,

In no way have I 'sought confirmation that (it) will be safe from theft'. I have enough sense to know that is impossible. Other posters raised the issue of theft at some length. Indeed I have explained the machine would be fully insured and commented that its loss 'would not be disastrous'. As I said I would rather lose the laptop than the camera, and the camera is more vulnerable to knocks than the computer. Cabin baggage weight restrictions and the one bag rule in UK present several difficulties over issues like this.


toedtoes,

Thank you for your comment. In fact it's leisure work, but as we are often away for some time the idea is to try to get as much work done while we are away rather than be faced with a vast number of pics on return.


Michael

I'm sorry Michael. I read the question as &lt;&lt;Please does anyone have any ideas about the &quot;advisability&quot; of putting a laptop in checked baggage and the best way of protecting it against damage in transit?&gt;&gt; and focused on Part A &quot;the advisability&quot; as I regarded it as totally inadvisable, I didn't focus on Part B, &quot;protecting it against damage&quot;.

Placing it between clothes is the best bet. It would also be advisable,if you can remove it, to put the hard drive in your carry on.

&lt;&lt;&lt; Indeed I have explained the machine would be fully insured &gt;&gt;&gt;

I'd be surprised if the laptop is insured at all let alone fully.

Most insurance policies I've seen would reject a claim for a stolen laptop if it was put in checked luggage

Protecting it from damage - laptops fly every day. That is how it got to your house in the first place. Mine came from Dell wrapped in bubble wrap, nested in styrofoam, and then in a sturdy box.

If this is going to be a regular mode of transportation for your laptop, I would suggest you either call manufacturer and ask them - people ship laptops back to company all the time for repairs - or second best would be to go to packing/shipping company (like UPS Stores/Mailboxes Etc) and ask them for packing suggestions.

alanRow

<i>Most insurance policies I've seen would reject a claim for a stolen laptop if it was put in checked luggage</i>

There is no exclusion in the policy.

My broker has confirmed coverage.

I would carry the laptop in a backpack onboard.

But if I had to pack it I would remove the battery. Wrap the computer in bubble wrap (or the small foam case I have) and place it in the center of the bag with clothes above and below it and on all sides.

Then place the battery in an easy to get to location, assuming that the bag will be opened because the battery must look approximately like a pipe bomb in the scanner. I'd wrap the battery too, and keep it away from the puter.


Another reason for separating the battery is because I wouldn't want it to be broken off. If it was connected to the computer then I think that I could grab the battery in one hand, the computer in the other hand and bend it hard enough to break it loose. Not that it is likely that much force would get to the inside.

Ideally, you'd want to put the padded computer into a hard box and then put that into the center of the luggage.

That's what I would do, and then I would kiss the computer goodbye expecting to never see it again.

lol

mrwunrfl- sounds like you just gave instructions on how to gift wrap a present for a baggage handler! You forgot to mention the bow though! LOL :)

Actually, now I remember that I accidentally checked luggage containing muy laptop.

I have a large rollaboard with an easy access pocket in front so that I can remove/return the laptop from the bag when going through security.

On one occaision I was very late and had to check the bag after getting on the plane. That is, I took the bag to the plane and then they put it down below. It was a big rush and I forgot that my laptop was in the bag.

I got off the plane at LAX but the bag went to GUA. It spent three nights at the Guatemala City airport and then flew back to LAX where it was handled by the lost luggage folks.

The laptop was in the bag and was absolutely not damaged.

Wasleys... what weight restrictions are you talking about? Every airline I fly in and out of England (BMI, American, Virgin, etc.) has no weight restrictions for cabin baggage... just a size limit.

Like the idea of separating the battery -- it adds a lot of the weight -- but could you put it in checked baggage or would TSA howl?

slangevar,

<i>what weight restrictions are you talking about?</i>

The restrictions most airlines apply and which vary considerably from operator to operator. Last three airlines I flew with - Estonian, SAS, Air Greenland - were all 8kg and one had a different size limit. On one checkin my cabin bag was checked for size and weighed.

I have heard reports that some people have had cabin baggage weighed both at checkin and at the gate.

This may be of interest, though I'm not sure how current the information is:

http://www.dpsoftware.co.uk/airlines/

&lt;&lt;&lt; Every airline I fly in and out of England (BMI, American, Virgin, etc.) has no weight restrictions for cabin baggage. &gt;&gt;&gt;

BMI - 7 or 10kg depending on class
Virgin - 6 or 8 kg
AA - 18kg

The only 2 airlines that I know of that don't put a weight restriction on hand luggage are BA &amp; Easyjet

How bizarre... I fly all of those airlines and not once has anyone requested to weigh my carry-on bag(s).