Flying with iMac 24"

[sgvarghese]

Hello Everyone,

I am interested in getting the 24" iMac, but do not know how easy it will be to travel with it by plane. I am coming home to the States for a couple weeks and wanted to pick one up to use when I return to school in Europe; however, from the dimensions listed on Apple's website, (Height: 20.6 inches (52.3 cm) Width: 22.6 inches (57.4 cm)Depth: 8.1 inches (20.7 cm)) I do not think I will be able to bring it with me so easily. I would like to avoid putting it in my checked luggage, but I do not think it will be allowed as a carry-on. And to be honest, I do no think it will really fit it any of my checked luggage either.

Any suggestions on how to safely transport it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Sanjeev

 

[apachie2k]

now with all those regs...not likely ure gonna be able to carry it on...FedEx

 

[YS2003]

As an alernative to FedEx's package service, the shipping company (freight forwarding company) may be able to arrange the transportation as your personal effect on the plane you are going to take. The passenger aircraft often carries the commercial freights along with the passengers' suitcases. Even though you would need to pay for the freight charge, at least, you don't have to worry about the cargo restriction. When you get back to your country, you can pick up the shipment at the airport as the personal effects. I think you need to open the package to show an appearance of the used computer.

 

[BurtonCCC]

Carrying the 20" model in our shop is like carrying a freakin' boulder. I can only imagine the 24" would be heavier. Have you picked up an iMac lately? They're small, but there's a lot of stuff inside to weigh them down.

Daniel.

EDIT: Ours could have Kensington cable that I didn't see though... maybe it's heavy because it's strapped down, lol.

 

[sgvarghese]

Aside from the cost for shipping, sending it by FedEx would also subject me to the customs officials in warsaw where they really enjoy taxing the hell out of people. Even though the computer would be for my academic use, and would leave the country with me when I finsih my studies, I would get charged 22% tax if I were to have it shipped in. If I bring it with me on the plane, then there are no real issues. (A friend sent me a camera a few weeks ago, and I had to pay the 22% tax to get it released from customs.)

The 24" is around 25 lbs....not light by any measure, but I would not have to move it around once I got it to my apartment. But getting it there is the trouble...

 

[sgvarghese]

As an alernative to FedEx's package service, the shipping company (freight forwarding company) may be able to arrange the transportation as your personal effect on the plane you are going to take. The passenger aircraft often carries the commercial freights along with the passengers' suitcases. Even though you would need to pay for the freight charge, at least, you don't have to worry about the cargo restriction. When you get back to your country, you can pick up the shipment at the airport as the personal effects. I think you need to open the package to show an appearance of the used computer.

I had looked into firstluggage.com but the price seems kinda high. (about $250) I will be flying with Air France, so maybe they have some type of deal for cargo. Any other companies you might be able to suggest? Thanks for the information.

 

[apachie2k]

take it to another country and then ship it, maybe the taxes might be different comming from europe....or land in another country and take it with you on the train....alot of crap for just a computer but then again it's a mac...just pay the tax...

 

[M. Malone]

this is what you do, Apple packs the iMac pretty nice, it's firmly placed in the box and has zero chance of moving within its box, then go to a place that sells boxes, like Uhaul, and buy an extra large box, buy lots of bubble wrap and popcorn?? (those white things) wrap the iMac box with as much bibble wrap as you can, pour as much popcorn into the extra large box as you can, then stick your iMac in there, and check the whole box as luggage, I've traveled with Air France, and as long as your box is below 50 pounds, then you're ok.

 

[CrEsTo]

I have the same problem, I'm moving to Mexico in 6 days ... want to bring a 24" with me, obviously it won't be allowed as carry-on luggage, not even the 17" is allowed.

I guess I will put the original box into a large suitcase with some Tshirts or bubble wrap as protection and that will do it. I did that once with a 17" G5 from FL to Mexico and it arrived perfect.

 

[sgvarghese]

I have the same problem, I'm moving to Mexico in 6 days ... want to bring a 24" with me, obviously it won't be allowed as carry-on luggage, not even the 17" is allowed.

I guess I will put the original box into a large suitcase with some Tshirts or bubble wrap as protection and that will do it. I did that once with a 17" G5 from FL to Mexico and it arrived perfect.

I do not think I even have a suitcase that would fit the 24" laying flat in it. From searching around online, I think that that 29" Samsonite Oyster suitcase would fit it, but I do no think it would be able to hold the original box as well, but it would just about fit the display.

 

[casesensitive]

Considering this myself..

A 24" iMac with Geforce 7600GT is the first mac in a while I'd be temtped to replace my 20" G4 iMac with, but with 2GB of RAM, the price in the Irish apple store is €2350(/€2208 edu), but I could pick it up in the Delaware educational store for €1706 and fly it home. Taxes differ, I'll grant you, but €650 is a big difference, and makes one awkward flight seem like a good idea.

 

[Dunepilot]

When the G5 iMac first came out, the power supplies weren't compatible between Europe and the US, and people ended up blowing them once they plugged them into UK power sockets. I'd suggest that you check that they are the autoswitching kind before you buy - Macintouch.com may have some discussion of this, if you have a dig.

 

[sgvarghese]

The iMac should be fine with the current conversion. On the website, it says it is from 100-240, so I should be ok without an additional transformer for it.

After much thought (and remeasuring the suitcases), I decided to go with the 20" instead. It will be much easier for me to take back to school with me in Poland, and then bring back to the States when I finish up in January or so. If I could have, I would have waited until I finished my studies in Poland, but my powerbook G4 Ti is starting to give up the ghost. Too many kernal panics, and getting too sluggish. I guess I will wait a couple more years to get the 24" or whatever version will be available at that time.

Thanks for all of the suggestions though.

Ciao!
Sanjeev

 

[tkidBOSTON]

<snip> bubble wrap and popcorn?? (those white things) <snip>

Hahaha, peanuts, not popcorn...

 

[M. Malone]

Hahaha, peanuts, not popcorn...

lol! oh yea peanuts, one of those lol

 

[nightelf]

The best thing would be to call the airline. I'm also traveling soon, and at Delta's website they said that all computers should be carried aboard with the passenger.

The max weight allowed is 40 lbs, but even the largest iMac weight less than that. Ill have to check the dimensions of the box.

 

[sgvarghese]

Weight should not be an issue with transport, but the dimensions are what casue problems. I am not sure if the 24" with packaging would be able to fit through the x-ray machines that are used for carry-on items.

 

[mfacey]

You mentioned that when you ship fed-ex you're going to get hit with import duties. Bear in mind that if you're taking it on the plane you're subject to the same import duties. You can risk it by stuffing the computer in your luggage, but if they pick you out at customs and find it, you can be sure you be charged the import duty and a considerable fine on top of that!

Its a matter of weighing the cost advantages of buying the US to what it would cost if you got caught smuggling it.

 

[zoran]

Wow put an iMac into the cargo? Arent u afraid about all those bumpings for the HD? Id take that HD out of the iMac if i were u and have it in a box with peanuts with me inside the plain!
Anyhow good luck

 

[asdf123]

Wow put an iMac into the cargo? Arent u afraid about all those bumpings for the HD? Id take that HD out of the iMac if i were u and have it in a box with peanuts with me inside the plain!
Anyhow good luck

I don't think that'd matter much...those machines don't come to the retail stores by hand from the factories, they're most definitely shipped. In cargo...HD's intact.

 

[zoran]

I dont really trust those cargo employees in how they are handling the shipments! Ive seen the tossing them away like... i dontknow what! Maybe Apple has a specific shipping company and is told that its transfering computer equipment so they must be extra carefull... i dont know!

 

[mulletman13]

As long as the hard drive isn't spinning, it will be perfectly fine in cargo. Those things are designed to take a TON of G's impact, and it will not be damaged.

 

[zoran]

TON of G's impact?
I totally dissagree, and lets make a simple experiment. Take a HD with valuable data, hold it in your hands and let it drop from a 20" distance. Then place it back on your computer and tell as the results! and dont lye

 

[mulletman13]

TON of G's impact?
I totally dissagree, and lets make a simple experiment. Take a HD with valuable data, hold it in your hands and let it drop from a 20" distance. Then place it back on your computer and tell as the results! and dont lye

Allright, maybe not "tons", but if the computer is going through enough pressure and whatnot to actually damage the hard drive, I'd sooner be afraid of the LCD cracking.

Millions of hard drives are shipped weekly via airplane... I *think* you'll be allright on this one

 

[furious]

my Seagate 7200.10 is designed to take 340gs. so i think it would be fine on a plane.