Traveling with a laptop

[eileen from OH]

I'm heading out for an extended business/pleasure trip (2 weeks), including a period that will enable me to get some long overdue writing and data entry done, soooo have borrowed a laptop. What's the scoop on airport security? I've seen, if you bring it on as carry-on, where they open cases, to make sure all is cool, etc. But I don't know that I'd even use it on the plane, and I hate schlepping stuff. . . so would it be better to check it inside my suitcase? Or will they do something to it that would erase the hard drive or somesuch?

eileen from OH

[hlthe2b]

1. NEVER PUT ANYTHING VALUABLE IN CHECKED BAGS!

Security now can open any bag at any time, and it remains unlocked. You have no protection against theft.

All you need to do is have the laptop ready to show at security. Most just make you put it through the x-ray, but they might still have you boot it up. So have it out of your carry on bag as you approach security... And, don't forget to pick it up (lots of laptops get left at security by distracted passengers)

[roguevalley]

2. Never put in checked bags what you aren't prepared to have stolen.

Take it through. It doesn't hurt them. I travel with
mine always and use ipass for internet. <ipass.com>

[ReadTomPaine]

3. Whatever you do, don't check in your laptop as baggage.

They may ask you to boot it up if they check the bag, to make sure it's a real computer, so make sure that the batteries are charged.

[Atlant]

4. Make sure its battery is charged.

Even if you don't intend to use it on the flight (use is
usually fine on most airlines when you're above 10,000
feet), make sure the laptop's battery is charged when you
head out for your flight. And if possible, have the machine
"sleeping" rather than completely shut down.

Security will always ask you to remove your laptop from
your carry-on luggage and put it through the X-Ray
machine separately. They may also ask you to power
it up (which they seem to believe proves that it is a
laptop and not a terrorist weapon). It's for this reason
that you'd like it fully-charged and just sleeping.

If your laptop batteries won't then allow the machine to
sleep until you get to your destination, then after you've
passed through security and reached your waiting seat at
the departure gate, wake the machine and do a complete
shutdown.

Generally speaking, you don't want to put ANY
suspicious-looking-on-X-Ray electronics in your checked
luggage, so anything more complex than a power cord or
an electric razor must go in your carry-on stuff. Between
laptop(s), chargers, digital camera, batteries and accessories
for the digital camera, and everything else, I often feel like
a walking electronics store going through security.

Atlant
(Yes, I've carried multiple laptops!
One had very-specialized software on it,
the other was my generic laptop.)

[Nay]

5. Ditto on all the above.

They WILL make you boot it up at security, so be ready for that.

[Rabrrrrrr]

6. I'll ditto the above, too

Absolutely do NOT want to put it in your luggage. You might never see it again.

[Ivory_Tower]

7. Well, I just flew cross-country last week (round trip)

One checked bag, one backpack with laptop inside as carry-on.

When you go through the security checkpoint, you'll have to take the laptop out of its bag so it can be scanned separately, but you won't necessarily have to boot it up. (I wasn't required to, and I was randomly picked for the thorough search on the way out -- hand-search of my carry-on bag, full wand scan.)

Interestingly, I locked my checked bag going in both directions, and it was still locked when I arrived. Either they pick the locks or the checked-bag search is random.

Don't worry, it shouldn't be a big deal, although it can be annoying -- at least the security people I've dealt with in my past few trips have been friendly, or at least polite. Just be sure to give yourself a lot of time before your flight. I generally arrive about two hours early, and that's been overkill for me (end up reading a book for an hour at the gate), but I've known people who have cut their flights close with two hours lead time.

So, carry the laptop, and get to the airport early, and have a safe trip.