I fly into the US on 15th December but all my wordly goods are being packed up on Monday and shipped - amongst them my desktop computer. I've been a sensible girl and backed everything up to an external hard drive which I plan to bring with me in my luggage. But where am I best stowing it? Can I put it in my checked luggage or do I have to have it in my hand luggage with me? I'll already be carrying a laptop too. I know that in terms of loss, it would be better in my hand luggage (obviously) but will it then need to be taken out and scanned like my laptop? Anyone any ideas?

(Clearly I'm at the stage where I'm transferring all my big anxieties into little things like how to transport my hard drive )

They're not on the list of banned items for hand luggage so they must be ok. According to BAA's website you don't even have to take laptops out of their cases any more so looks like they eased up their restrictions somewhat.

Thank you

I just need to decide now whether to carry a very heavy brick-like hard drive in with my hand luggage. I guess that would be the sensible thing, wouldn't it as most of my life is on there. My hand luggage is increasing in size by the day, it's a good thing they eased the restrictions and let us have two pieces flying out of the UK now

I wouldn't chuck the bugger in my checked luggage, that's for sure. Well maybe you could wrap in lots of socks or something...

One of my cases is hard sided so that's taking anything vulnerable to breakage. I'm more concerned about the airline losing it, especially that close to Christmas with the number of people that are likely to be travelling.

True. Touch wood I've never had any luggage lost, but in reality they're probably just waiting for me to put something really important in there...

Exactly. Although it would be a tough case to lose - it's bright canary yellow! I picked it up on Freecycle It will also be taking several packets of crumpets, some jaffa cakes and a jar of Robinson's mincemeat so I can make mince pies when I get there

Christmas puds, packets of brandy sauce (custard too), Pot Noodles (bulky but light, and I don't care what anyone says - you never know when a craving will hit when you're so far from Tescos...).... the list goes on!

Hold on - must be hungry. Time for breakfast I think.

we had 2 - put one in checked and one in hand luggage - both were fine (altho i made sure the checked luggage one was VERY padded!!)

we have never had any suitcase opened and searched before - until we stuck a hard drive in the checked luggage. (although we also had some blocks of cheddar and bottles of booze inside the same case so maybe the combo of strange substances and electronics may have set off a few bells.) But anyway - they opened that suitcase (but not the other one) and had a peep - did no damage as we had those special USA customs lock things). the only way we knew that had done it was because they had left a leaflet inside the relocked case.

so make sure you pack the case carefully and not fit to absolute bursting so that if they do inspect it it wont burst all over and be a nightmare to lock up.

They aren't passing that along to the front line staff then. Cause I came through Gatwick on Monday and they made me and other people take our laptops out of bags and put in a separate tray to go through the xray machine thingy.

I did the exact same thing, and carried my solid-aluminum external hard drive in my hand luggage. No use backing everything up only for it to get lost or damaged on the flight over.

Carry the drive with you.

The only dumb question is the one you don't ask!!

I should know, I ask dumb stuff all the time.....natural blonde, it comes with the territory!

Hmmm..... read that on the Heathrow section of the site. Now I look at Gatwick it says they must still be removed and x-rayed seperately..