Originally Posted by
ynosan
I’m getting into Managua tomorrow at 5pm from the Corn Islands and my plane takes off at 8am the next morning. To ship the laptop I’d have to buy packaging, bubble wrap paper, and the shipping costs would be quite high. The only thing I care about is the hard drive really.
If I put it in my checked luggage no one can power it on right?
I know that there are no definitive answers but I’m curious as to what they’d do. I bet thousands of people travel with broken phones or cameras each day.
No, that is wrong. Your checked luggage will be screened by TSA at IAH and may be selected for secondary. In a secondary search, a TSA Officer would likely attempt to operate the laptop and, if it is inop., pull it out and leave a note in the bag. You would then have to make arrangements with TSA at IAH at some point in the future to get your lapop shipped.
Try this. If security anywhere enroute, far more likely at MGA or LHR and very unlikely at IAH, does require you to operate the laptop and won't accept your explanation, then pop the laptop, pull the hard drive and bin the rest.