Originally Posted by
baliktad
Except for a few facts that make checking your computer as baggage infeasible:
- Bag weight limit of 50 lbs. (+$50 for up to 100 lbs.)
- Bag size limit of 62 linear inches (+$50-$75 for larger items)
- Oh, and then there's the liability: Your computer is worth exactly $0 if AS loses or breaks it, and they won't even reimburse you the $9/lb. they would if you had packed clothes in your suitcase:
I could easily fit my desktop in a standard sized suitcase, and it's not even that small. I've personally travelled with desktops in checked luggage. I've also taken desktops packed in cardboard boxes that easily meet the size requirements. I even left the HD's in them, though I didn't care too much about the data on them
Good point on the liability though. For future reference -
http://www.airfarewatchdog.com/blog/...luation-chart/ It IS possible to get extra coverage on some items on some airlines, though none of the ones I looked at offered coverage applicable in this case (computer).
If you pay a commercial parcel shipper, you're guaranteed to have either the undamaged computer or your declared valuation at the end.
While that's true in spirit, in reality it's not quite that easy...
As far as the monitor, unless it's a high-end monitor, it'll likely be much cheaper to just buy a new one when you get there. With the way prices on LCD's have been falling over the last few years, you might be able to get a nice giant LCD monitor for less than the cost of shipping your current one. Also, monitors are also more fragile, and it'll be harder to find a good container to ship one in (without increasing your shipping expenses).