iBook in checked luggage?
 

So Wednesday I flew across the country and Monday I will fly back home, sans water bottle. But if I were to fly to or from the UK where the new regulations prohibit carrying-on of electronic items, how would my iBook fare in my checked suitcase in its neoprene sleeve?

all the flights I have been on have said its okay for laptops to be scanned and put in the luggage..
If it was me though.... I would back up my data and make sure my insurance was up to date...you do hear some horror stories!

I was more concerned about the 'Book being crushed as they toss one suitcase upon another. Obviously it'd be in the middle of thesuitcase, cushioned by clothing, but still, I've seen some smashed suitcases on the carousels.

The previous observations about preserving your data and reviewing your insurance coverage are excellent. If I were forced to transport my iBook in checked baggage, I would have confidence in my aluminum computer briefcase to protect it from rough handling. I wouldn't rest easy if it were packed in soft luggage. If you can locate a Pelican plastic case, they're not that expensive and are the ultimate in protection.

Pelican cases are great...and will keep your laptop safe when tossed. If you don't feel like spending the money for a hard, sturdy case I'd wrap the laptop in multiple layers of clothes.

Put it in the middle of the case with lots of close around it. I had a litre glass bottle in a canvas case brought back from mexico. The case had boot prints all over it and others were torn and broken. But the bottle was fine

Or, for a case that will be good for every laptop you ever have, go for a Halliburton and custom cut the foam to suits whichever device you are carrying in it at the time.

Gavin

You mean that in a flight landing in the UK or taking off from there, you are not allowed to carry your laptop or any electronic device in the cabin?
If it's what it means, are these regulations recent?

And what does mean: sans is a french word that means "without", so I don't really get the "I will fly back home, sans water bottle." part.

Sorry for the english related questions.

A plan was unfoiled in England which involved liquid explosives disguised as a beverage. As of yesterday, most airlines are not allowing passengers to bring drinks on flights. If you watch the major news channels they'll probly talk about it....but I don't blame you for not watching CNN/BBC/etc.

oh yeah, the plan apparently involved electronic devices at the detonation trigger/device...so that may be why they're prohibiting laptops and the like

Yes, Lutin, since yesterday the UK forbids any electronic devices in carry-on luggage, as well as forbids any liquids or gels. The US forbids any liquids or gels but does still permit electronics.

You correctly understood "sans" and I am dismayed to fly without my water bottle. Sometimes the flight attendant gives you a 6 oz glass, sometimes the entire can, but you have to drink it in a hurry or hod it carefully. In the old days, which ended yesterday, my own large water bottle could be sipped from at will.

The terrorists need to be stopped.

This explains the rules regarding the UK:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/heal...p?newsid=49411

Whatever the packing method, one thing is clear: Now that we have to check everything, sticky-fingered baggage handlers everywhere are rejoicing. Laptops! iPods! Cameras! Yeeeeehaw!

:(

You can get a super-strong suitcase bag made out of Ti speciafically made for carrying iBook/PowerBooks computers. It's rather small compared to large suitcases seen in airports. You could use a regular travel suitcase for enclosing the bag. It's dual coating, in the end.

Don't forget to keep the small bag unlocked so that offcials can check everything.

They used to warn people not to put any magnetic media in checked luggage because some of the scanning equipment can damage/erase the contents. Wonder how that will be mitigated now that we're being forced to check it in.

Irene, can't you bring an empty bottle, and ask the flight attendant to fill it once onboard?

No, you are only allowed a clear plastic bag with travel documents in it. I didn't realise that it was flights into the UK as well. I liked P. Bush's statement when he landed on AF1. He made it sound as if his intelligents agencies foiled the plan. And he made it sound as if it was an attack on America. The US intelligence agencies could never had found out. They failed with 11/9. The best in the world MI5/MI6 and the Met anti-terrorist police foiled it.
It could have been a job for CTU!

Or maybe nobody foiled anything and it was all just hyped up? We'll never know, meanwhile we add another nail to the airline industry coffin.

I've done some research on the issues with magnetic media in checked luggage and can't fine anything concrete either way. Which is scary, since various agencies go out of their way to say that it is fine in carried luggage, but say nothing of checked luggage.

Terrorists can be defeated simply by not becoming terrified
 

This might be a good time to read an article by professor John Mueller from Ohio State, questioning the whole post-911 paranoia and fear-mongering:

"Determining how to respond to the terrorist challenge has become a major public policy issue in the United States over the last three years. It has been discussed endlessly, many lives have been changed, a couple of wars have been waged, and huge sums of money have been spent often after little contemplation to deal with the problem.

Throughout all this, there is a perspective on terrorism that has been very substantially ignored. It can be summarized, somewhat crudely, as follows:

• Assessed in broad but reasonable context, terrorism generally does not do much damage.

• The costs of terrorism very often are the result of hasty, ill-considered, and overwrought reactions.

A sensible policy approach to the problem might be to stress that any damage terrorists are able to accomplish likely can be absorbed, however grimly. While judicious protective and policing measures are sensible, extensive fear and anxiety over what may at base prove to be a rather limited problem are mis- placed, unjustified, and counterproductive."

Complete article:
http://www.cato.org/pubs/regulation/...n3/v27n3-5.pdf

Via:
http://www.boingboing.net/2006/08/07...rs_try_to.html

I hope they remove all water bottles and toothpaste from Air Force 1 too.

Back on topic.

I haven't seen this option brought up so might I throw out the idea of UPS/DHL/FedEx etc. to get your gear home. Yup, it will cost a bit more, but might alleviate the stress of wondering what it's doing down there under the plane.

The London Met Police are holding sevarl people under the terrorisum charges, (they can hold them for over a month without charge). There are also some people in Pakistan being held, over 20 in total british citizens. They are now trying to gain enough evidence to charge these people. They will tell us what happened, as they did last year with the London Tube bombings it will just take some time.
As for the airline industry, It could never die out. There are record numbers of planes in our skys and record numbers for tourists from the UK going abroad. There are also big developement's by the British Airport authorites on britains major airports. London Heathrow is well on the way to becoming the biggest airport in the world with Terminal 5 under construction (it'll propably be another 5 or 6 years if the people behind the Wembley stadium have anything to do with it!).
So don't worry people still need to fly and with the new Airbus A380 more and more will be able to at the same time!

You can't bring toothpaste? At least in the UK this isn't an issue?

ROTF :D 78910

And record losses industry-wide, as well. They are being artifically propped up by government infusions of money. The whole industry is a great illusion at present. I'm certainly glad I no longer take 1-2 trips per week like I did a few years ago.

On terrorism and bee stings
 

I flew from San Francisco on Thursday, arriving home in Bergen Norway Friday afternoon. Never felt any reason for fear. And all three of my flights left on time. A lighter moment was when a whole console of overhead electronics almost fell on the head of two passenters across the aisle -- this attempt at "terrorism" by Northwestern was stopped by several dozen yards of masking tape and a great deal of laughter. ;)

If I had had the time and money in the months following 9-11, I would have travelled. Lots! Perhaps there has never been a safer and cheaper time to fly.

When I was in Turkey some years ago, a bomb went off in a neighbouring town. Many tourists headed home. Frankly, I was more worried about the bus drivers passing slow cars in blind curves -- now that got my adrenalin going.

A couple of years ago, I believe, there was a Pentagon report concluding that casualties due to terrorism hadn’t been lower for 25 years.

Voldenuit and Dr John Mueller have an important point: We really do need to put this into perspective. After all, how many more people die due to: reckless drivers, diseases due to smoking, alcohol, obesity, overconsumption of sugar, drinking unclean water and CO poisoning (esp. in Third World), etc etc. Not to mention complications from properly induced prescription drugs.

I do not mean to belittle a single individual casualty, all of which are tragic and reprehensible -- but I would bet that most years more people die from bee stings and other insect bites than from terrorist attacks.

Indeed, the fear is disproportionate. And so is the well-designed fear mongering.
I’ll stop there, lest I get political...

And I, post-retirement and reasonably well off have over 500,000 air miles :mad:. I read that in Britain you will not be permitted to bring a book either, never mind electronics. Starting in Canada, flights to many places pass through Heathrow - places I would have liked to have seen but never will while that restriction lasts. Fortunately, I've already been to Turkey and to South Africa, six and roughly 10 hours out of Heathrow.

Indeed, the fear is disproportionate. And so is the well-designed fear mongering. . .

I don't know about that. What was planned was several planes detonating simultaneously. That would have killed lots of people and screwed up air travel for some time. Bee stings don't exactly affect the economy the same way. :rolleyes:

I was traveling Thurs. and so I had to put all my toiletries in one bag and check it. No big deal, really. No problem with bringing my iBook on board or checking it.

Back in the 80s I often heard about escaped Africanized bees that were imported to Brazil. Long story short, these deadly bees were apparently mating and migrating their way North. I'm still waiting for the bees to get here

What's that surposed to mean? We don't clean our teeth?

Agreed. In my opinion this incident was very professionally handled by both UK and US authorities. Furthermore the measures were carried out efficiently and with respect for travellers. For a few hours, there was good reason to fear that someone had slipped under the radar.

My comments about fear and fear-mongering, and the need to remember proportions, were general. Ufortunately it is very difficult in this day and age to remind ourselves how few terrorism casualties there are in the Western world, compared to far more worrisome threats to our well-being.

In the meantime our way of life is changing drastically...

– ArcticStones

Login is not relevant. The way they search it is to boot from an external system that will suck out all the data for analysis. No word on when/if they ever delete that data, or how they keep it safe.

Of course, file vault foils this. THAT is what I wonder about; would they attempt to make you reveal the password? Under current law you can't be forced to do so, but you could simply be denied entry to the country.

Great TV interview on airline security:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYcTbJ2oyyU