gryphea

Our only PC , bar a work laptop which has to go back, is a dual voltage specially compact Dell. Can I just pick up the box and pack it in my hand luggage? Its small enough too fit in hand luggage size and the only other option seems to be to ship it, which takes weeks/months. We don't really want another one and I cna't face being without it for so long.......

Is there any reason why I can't do this? Are you only allowed lap tops? Is it some sort of security risk?

Failing that can I just pack it in the hold??

Gryphea

Tommyboy17

I would email BAA and ask them as they would be able to tell you for sure.

I can only guess, and whilst i think that they may find it weird I dont know of any given reason why you cannot. 2 things tho, why not just put it in the hold? And are you willing to either have to miss the flight or leave the PC behind if security say no.

peachgary

This is a good question because I'm planning on disconnecting my PC components and just taking the mother board, CPU's and hard drives over with me in my hand luggage and then rebuilding it over their. But in my opinion if you can take laptops why not PC's

Atlantic Xpat

I packed my Compaq desktop in my checked luggage no problem. Just the tower unit, mouse and keyboard. I then bouight a new power cord, monitor & printer when I got here.

I'd be wary of carrying on hand luggage. Laptops are OK but even then security might ask you to power up to confirm it is actually a laptop. Difficult to do with your desktop. And I would definately not want to be the guy or gal carrying a bunch of electronic components - motherboards etc - through security these days. You are asking for a cavity search!

gryphea

I guess it can go in the hold- I just thought it might be safer and less slung around in the hold. Not willing to miss flight and leaving it behind would defeat the object!!! good points!

gryphea

I guess atlantic expat etc have valid points though- you can't prove its not something else?

gryphea

Thanks for that- I wasn't even sure they would be OK in hold luggage. Will put it in the hold as I think you guys have some good points! Don't want a cavity search!!!!

Gryphea

Lisa_W

They weighed our hand luggage at Manchester (Canadian Affair) and if it was over the allowed amount (5kg from what I remember), they made us take it out and put it in the bags for the hold - then charged us excess baggage. So if your computer weighs more than 5kg, they may not let you take it on as hand luggage anyway.

Lisa

bazzz

Ditto for us. On the bright side they only charged us £60 for being over the limit when it should have been more like £200. It's the only time we've ever had our hand luggage weighed and it was the one time we could have done without it.

If you are going to take a PC motherboard in your bag, why not go th whole hog and just strap a couple of sherbet fountain to the side of it and tape your kitchen timer to the back?

oxon5

I would be a little recluctant to put it in the hold - a colleague of mine had their laptop removed from their hold luggage. Normally you can carry a laptop onto a plane without too much hassle. You will be asked to turn it on and they swipe it with a cloth to see if there are any nasty chemicals in it but that's about it.

Good luck

Kevin

ladymoose

Hubby had a laptop stolen from his hold luggage too - never got it back (was a work one though so he didn't really care) - was compensated eventually but wasn't an easy process.

Any chance you can sell it and buy over here - copying your data first??

gryphea

I know- but its not a laptop its a pc, quite a small one, about 15 inches by 15 inches by 3.5 inches, I can turn it on but only a little light will come on!

Gryphea

Atlantic Xpat

Put it in your suitcase, well padded with clothes etc. It'll be fine. As a backup maybe save key data on an USB stick / DVD's etc. Or one of those plug in external hard drives.

gryphea

Thing is its just another thing to sell at knock off price and then buy new and extortionately the other end. Also having been identity thefted twice before I am very unkeen on the let some genius computor whizz get at it!

peachgary

A genius computer whizz couldn't access any of your data if you reinstalled the operating system because it wipes it clean and you say its a Dell PC you can pick them up for peanuts on ebay.ca

Only 37 Min's left so be quick hehe.....going for $152

http://cgi.ebay.ca/AMAZING-DeLL-Opti...QQcmdZViewItem