Hi
Does anyone have any experience of taking a computer on a flight. I have packed one which my sons use and the shippers are coming next week to take that away, but I am taking my other one in my luggage. Is there any restrictions on taking things like that? I realise I take a risk with damage etc and lose of bags with it in but I really need it for work etc when I get there. Has anyone else took one through to OZ in luggage?
Jayne

Ive thought of this myself.

The cost to pack it and ship it, I am considering selling mine and just getting a laptop.

But I wouldnt mind seeing the replies.

i loved to hear any thoughts on this. We were thinking of taking ours.

I sent mine from Australia to England back in 1999 when I moved here....in fact I sent about 7 boxes all by air. The computer (including monitor) was bubble wrapped to within and inch of it's life. The boxes looked pretty beat about when they arrived in the UK and one box had a puncture hole in it but the computer worked fine - but I did use a LOT of bubblewrap.

This time, we are sending my OH's computer (by sea freight) and I will buy a lap top when I arrive in Australia.

We are only shipping 20 boxes, a leather suite and a tv. Most everything else we have sold (Ebay) or charity shopped it. The computers are both 14 months old and top of the range still, did think about getting a laptop and replacing the one but they are so good I decided against it. So the one is all boxed up and ready to go and the other I want to take on the flight. I may just bubble wrap it and hope for the best anyway.

So many choices, so little time to choose!
Jayne

You will find if it is a desktop they(the airline) will refuse to allow it in the passenger compartment as it will not fit in overhead lockers and you can't carry it.

I remember watching a man arguing with Emirates staff on the issue of a desktop as hand luggage - they asked how he would feel if it fell from a locker onto his head......
As for hold luggage - the risk of damamge is quite high. Mine came by air freight, but the shippers had a special wooden crate, constructed so that it could only be loaded one way up, and it was fine. Otherwise it'll cost you a lot (cos of the weight as part of your baggage allowance) and has a high risk of getting broken.

If its an expensive computer remember to take out electrical derangement insurance whether it is going by sea or air. Ours went by sea and wouldnt work when we got here so thankfully we got the full cost off the insurance and got a new one, and thankfully I had copied the entire contents onto our laptops, and also backed up really important stuff on disc.

Some people take the hard drive out and carry this in their hand luggage, thus if the puter is fooked you have all ur info

I took a PC on a one hour flight from Brisbane to Sydney . They made me check it in and sign somthing to say if they break it they would not pay for a new one.

PC arrived at the other side with a big dent put it still worked.

Take the hard drive out and carry it as hand luggage, check the rest.

I take it most folks who take laptops just take them as hand luggage?

we shipped one, and carried (a very compact) one in luggage... no problems at all... I considered carrying it in hand luggage, but chose a book and ipod instead.

I never considered doing that, would save a lot of heartache if ever it got damaged.
Thanks for that.
Jayne

I build and repair PC's - so To be honest - ive decided to strip mine down bubble rap the components - hd, memory, motherboard and Flatscreen monitor and then buy a new case and re-assemble when I get there.

OH is good with computers, not to the point of building them but adding memory, drives etc.
They are so much a part of our lives we couldnt do without one.

Jayne