Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!njin!princeton!phoenix!rpbert
From: rpbert@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Raymond Pierrehumbert)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Mac as airline hand baggage
Summary: Carry on of Mac is a gamble unless you can afford to
	 miss your Plane.
Message-ID: <9623@phoenix.Princeton.EDU>
Date: 27 Jul 89 03:48:59 GMT
References: <30351@cornell.UUCP>
Distribution: usa
Organization: Princeton University, NJ
Lines: 26

In article <30351@cornell.UUCP>, pap@gvax.cs.cornell.edu (Paul Andrew Pritchard) writes:
> I'm flying NY (alright, Newark) to London soon, and will be taking
> my Mac (SE/30 HD40) with me. It seems to me the best plan is to
> put the Mac in one of those commercially-available padded carry bags
> and take it as hand baggage. I'd like to hear of anyone's experiences
> with this. (The airline is Continental.) Thanks.

I haven't carried on my Mac, but I know many people who have done it
successfully.  The problem is it's a big risk.  In the soft-case
it doesn't fit under the seat of any airline I've been on.  It fits
in some overhead compartments, but not others, and there is always the
risk that someone has gotten there first.  Also it is too heavy for
the ratings of some overheads (the swing-down types) and the airlines
may stop you.  Also, airlines are nervous about electronic equipment
now (hidden bomb problems, and they don't mean the System types!), so
they may ask you to prove that it really works (so bring a System disk).
   Problem is, what do you do if they won't let you take it carry-on?
if you check it, it will surely be destroyed.  When I went to Sweden,
I got one of the specially made plywood and aluminum foam padded
shipping cases, and put it in a checked baggage.  There was room
for my external Jasmine disk and cables in there too.  Case costs
about $200 from ATS cases, but there are many other sources. Check
MacUser, e.g.  Main problem is, the case weighs in at about 20lb,
so the whole deal comes up to about 60-70 lb.  Quite an armful, 
especially if you are travelling with children also.  
   It all depends on how risk-averse you are.