Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ucla-cs!uci-ics!zardoz!tgate!ka3ovk!drilex!axiom!linus!alliant!cantrell
From: cantrell@Alliant.COM (Paul Cantrell)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Mac as airline hand baggage
Message-ID: <3298@alliant.Alliant.COM>
Date: 27 Jul 89 14:21:07 GMT
References: <30351@cornell.UUCP> <2685@catalonia.sw.mcc.com> <43346@bbn.COM>
Reply-To: cantrell@alliant.Alliant.COM (Paul Cantrell)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Alliant Computer Systems, Littleton, MA
Lines: 35

Re:	the whole discussion about where to stow the Mac while on a
	commercial flight.

I have mixed feelings about this practice. On the one hand, I would
NEVER check the Mac as luggage. The chances of it getting broken are
too high.

However, the overhead bin is supposed to be for hats/coats/etc. Putting
heavy items overhead (like everybody does - and not just computers)
is dangerous in the case of an accident or hard landing.

I was in an airplane which made a rather hard landing at Boston's Logan
Airport. Nothing too unusual, the pilot just screwed up a little, and
we dropped the final 4 feet onto the runway. EVERYTHING in the overhead
bins went flying. There were coats, pillows, etc. all over the cabin.
(Most of the oxygen masks came down as well). People were screaming,
etc...

My point is that a personal computer in a situation such as this would
turn into a potentially lethal projectile. If it went sailing like some
of those pillows did, it would probably crush the person's skull that
it hit. (It probably wouldn't do the Mac much good either...)

The best place to stow the Mac would either be in one of the storage
closets in the passenger cabin, or else on the floor next to your feet,
if you can get the stewardess to ignore that it isn't stowed below
the seat (if you have a window seat this is probably likely, otherwise
they legitimately are concerned about it blocking someone from getting
out of the plane...)

Next time you see someone forcing a large, heavy, hard object into the
overhead bin, think about what that object is going to do to you when
it hits you going 60mph...

					PC