Basic info needed to know traveling with laptop?
 

yes, I am probably one of the last people on earth to have NOT travelled with a laptop computer.

So I have some basic questions............which require your advice, please.

Im a also a pro photographer so I normally ask for hand security checks for baggage, film, etc. My problem is that no matter what I do security ALWAYS separates me from my belongings, either all or some of them while they do the film check (wanding which I ask for) or hand equipment inspection.

Normally my purse/tote bag with wallet in it ends up being handed off to someone while I am being frisked, wanded, whatever, and film hand inspected. Its a nightmare to even attempt to watch the directions my bags head off to.

Luckily I have always received it all back, now I have to add a 17" laptop to the mix, not sure how I will be carrying it, so type of padded bag or small wheeled luggage, I suppose so that I can use it on the flight with me.

How are notebooks normally checked for US travel? Do you have to turn them on? what is the battery is not in it at the time? Do they have to remove it from the bag/wheeled baggage?

Will it even fit on the coach dinnertray so that I may use it in-flight (it has a 17" monitor so Im not sure about this0?

What other things, details do I need to know about while traveling with a laptop inflight or through security?

Most importantly any suggestions for keeping it safe while traveling?

Thanks in advance!

It's not too difficult. You have to remove it from it's padded case and put it in a separate bin for the x-ray screening.

You have to have it turned off for takeoff and landing, like all other electronics. I would caution you when using it on the seat tray, however. Make sure that the person in front doesn't slam their seat back and mess your screen up.

A couple more answers:

- You do not have to turn it on for screening. I've never removed the battery from mine. I don't see why it should matter, but perhaps screeners will think it's odd and ask questions they otherwise wouldn't. What downside is there to leaving it in?

- I've used my 17" laptop in coach seats. It's tight, no room for a drink on the same tray (aside from the possibility of a bounce spilling your drink into the laptop, which does not improve either of them) but possible. Good advice about being attuned to what's going on in the seat in front of you. Situation permitting, you might want to ask the person in front to alert you before s/he reclines so you can be sure your screen is out of harm's way.

- If it's a long flight, you might want to see if your airline has power ports, get a seat with one if it has them in some rows but not others, and invest in a suitable power supply. There are two kinds of aircraft sockets. Most adapters support both. See many threads on that topic here.

For ease with security, I now carry my laptop in the outside pocket of the roll-a-board and then slip it out to go their metal detector in its own tray. I always detach the battery because it sometimes drains when left in even when off. And sometimes I balance weight differently between roll-a-board and cabin tote.

Sylvia

A 17" laptop? Good grief. Don't expect to use it in a coach seat. Even without the person in front of you reclined, that's an awful lot of laptop to try to open up. I carry a Sony Vaio 505AX, which is roughly 8-1/2" x 11". Even this laptop can't be opened in a tight seat-pitch situation with the person in front reclined.

[quote]not sure how I will be carrying it, so type of padded bag or small wheeled luggage, I suppose so that I can use it on the flight with me./quote]
I have a TUMI brief case which is wonderful. It has an internal compartment that is padded and suspended from the rest of the case, so the laptop is absolutely secure inside.

When you go through security screening, you will have to remove it from the case and put it through x-ray separately. I have never, once, been asked to turn it on post 9/11, though I did have to do it several times before then.

Almost certainly not, particularly if the person in front of you reclines. If you're determined to work in-flight, you really need to re-think a 17" monitor.


I carry a gazillion accessories, too. I have a mini wireless mouse, a bluetooth adapter, a wifi adapter, a USB cable for my PDA, a 1394 cable for my MP3 player, the computer's power adapter (of course), an airline seat power adapter (in case I want to watch movies on the plane), an extra heavy-duty battery (in case I want to watch movies on the plane and there is no in-seat power), a small extension cord and multi-plug adapter (for all of the chargers that I must carry), etc.

Don't let it out of your sight. I even keep my TUMI brief case inside the taxi and/or limo, rather than let the driver put the bag in the trunk. I've never had any problems in hotel rooms -- I always leave the computer out and set up.

As others have said you have to send it through security in a bin, not in it's case. In times past I've been asked to turn mine on (and almost had trouble with security once when I had a shot battery--it couldn't even keep the power going to the end of the POST, let alone a boot. Since I always used it plugged in I didn't particularly care.) but that hasn't happened for years now.

They seem a lot less interested in testing things these days--in times past I sometimes had to assemble my camera so they could look through the viewfinder. (And I've had a security screener suspicious of the camera because looking through the viewfinder didn't work--never mind that it was a SLR with no lens attached!) In recent years they have never tested anything of mine to see if it works, though.

Incidently, something I found that cuts the hassle with film: Some clear plastic tubes sized to hold 35mm rolls. Security can see what it is without poking through everything. I got them after sitting there one day while a screener opened *EVERY* film can I had. Being clear you also don't have to search for the right roll, either.

I've also not had to turn on my laptop, and usually put it in the bin along with my shoes :rolleyes:

Another tip I found here on FT... when they're serving drinks in your row, tilt the screen towards you. On the off chance that the drink is spilled while being served to the pax next to you, it's better to have it run down the back of the screen rather than right into your keyboard.

Oh... and #1 tip for keeping it safe: Don't drop it ;)

Most US airports I've been screened at insist that it be in a bin by itself.

As for using a 17" laptop in economy - it's absolutely not impossible. I've done it often. Yes, it can be cramped, it helps if the seat in front isn't all the way back, and the ease of doing it may depend on how tall one is - but I'd never make an absolute statement based on my personal acceptable comfort level. I suspect that the OP's photo work won't go well on a small screen, that most of it will be done in hotels and such anyhow, and that carrying two laptops (small for the plane, 17" for the ground) isn't a practical option.

Thanks for the info..........
 

Well, everyone has some really good ideas and viewpoints for me to consider.......as for rethinking the 17" I already made the purchase prior to posting on this forum, so that is what it is a 17". Anything smaller and my great photography looks, well, smaller......................I will only be re-organinzing files and typing during use in flight, perhaps reviewing images already taken, etc. No movies, no mouse although I have one I doubt I can use it during a flight.

I am going to try to use it once in coach, since that is how I normally fly unless of course a secret FFier upgrades me to first (which has happened a couple of time so far, and which I truly appreciate!).

I think I am going to wait though and try it when NO ONE is seated in front of me...............I dont think asking to have the person seated ahead of me alert me to whne they will put their seat back is reasonable, I can just imagine they will 'forget' and then my new laptop with true life montior will come crashing cloased, which of course is NOT what I want.

The ports are something I didnt know about, what seats normally have ports so I can plug it in, and do I have to if the battery is charged? Cant you just use it with only the battery and not plugging it in? I dont watch movies nor do I plan to start so there is no chance of my playing one while seated.

I agree with never leaving it out of my sight, the laptop looks gorgeous a Dell Inspiron 9300 so I wont be doing that, as for security I will just add it to a try and hope it doesnt get scratched, good to know I dont have to turn it on.

As for clear ziplock bags with film, I already do that, but actually make the time just in case they decide to go thrgough it all, which I really dont mind. I normally just take the cardboard carton that 5 rolls or more come in, sealed from the manuf. and they will wand the carton instead of each individual roll which they seem to prefer anyway.

Yes, I have had the same problem with an slr and medium format camera and the screener attempting to look through the lens itself or the camera body itself and then not being able to see anything (cannot without the lens attached) and having an issue with that. Now they dont seem to do that any longer but prefer to open up my carefully bubblewrapped camera components that I take along with me on the flight itself.

I just dont understand the seat plug/power port or seat adapter mentioned here. So if anyone can elaborate, I would appreciate it.

A lot of airlines have powerports under the seats. I can only speak for AA, but generally they have ports at all premium cabins. Also, in coach, there are shared ports in the first few rows, plus the exit rows, and then every few rows after that.

Consult seatguru.com and you'll see what I mean.

Oh, AA uses a regular cigarette lighter-type plug. UA and others use something called "empower"

I'll let others or other existing threads deal with the power adapter issues, but the answer here is "yes." You can use it on battery exactly as you can use it on battery on the ground. On short flights, that works fine. On a six-hour transcon it's nice not to have to worry about power conservation, shutting it off during meals, and all that.

In the days before airplane power ports people used to carry a second battery.

BTW, if you wait for a flight with nobody in front of you, you'll wait a long time unless you're on an unpopular route or like middle seats! :) (You can generally tell when the seat in front is about to recline or starting to. There may be the odd sadist out there who slams the seatback back full-force with no warning, but I have yet to encounter him/her in front of me.)

You've lead a very charmed life!

Your success in using the laptop will depend on your stature (weight/height). If you're fat (like I am), forget it, it AIN'T gonna happen. If you're tall, it can work but if you're in a middle seat your elbows are going to be getting intimate with your seatmates. Also, the laptop coming crashing down isn't the problem, it's the top of your laptop screen getting caught under the 'lip' at the back of the seat (where the tray stows) and shoved downward, thus cracking the screen. I know your photos may look smaller on a smaller screen, but if you're going to do a LOT of travel a 17" screen is going to be tough to live with in flight. Consider leaving it alone until you get where you're going.

very charmed life indeed Efrem, luckily I am tall nearly 5'10" and thin and do not normally sit in the middle seat. For some reason I am quite frequently on flights that are not full, and do not necessarily have someone in front of me. If so, I can always move..........I usually fly very early morning or red eyes and many flights are not full, sometimes only 5 - 10 seats are booked (go figure).

I can always wait to use it at my destination of course, no urgency for working...........but if I'm on a flight with no one in front, then I will be using it, and now I understand the travel ports better, too.

Thanks everyone!

On a recent domestic flight(AA) an annoucement was made not to store the laptop in the seatback pocket - any idea why?
I sometimes remove my laptop from its bag and place it in the seatback pocket so I don't have to fumble under the seat for it later during the flight. It's also a convient place to store it during drink/meal service.