Computer monitor as checked baggage?
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Computer monitor as checked baggage?
OK, maybe I'm crazy, but I'd like to take a computer monitor with me on my next international flight. The monitor is still in its original shipping package, which meets all airline size and weight requirements to qualify as checked baggage.
Short of buying a seat for it, is there anything I can do to mitigate the chances of this thing getting completely ruined in transit? Anything I should say to the person at the check-in counter? All serious suggestions welcomed.
Short of buying a seat for it, is there anything I can do to mitigate the chances of this thing getting completely ruined in transit? Anything I should say to the person at the check-in counter? All serious suggestions welcomed.
Paxing All Over The World
Fragile stickers and you SHOULD be asked to take it to a special drop off point, usually where they handle oversized and delicate items. At dest baggage hall, it should be at a similar desk and NOT on the carosel.
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LED monitor (of course 
). PAXboy, are you suggesting I should steer the conversation at check-in in that direction?
One thing I'm hoping will work to my advantage is I'll be traveling as a United Premier passenger, with their special Premier Access check-in (although when I tried to used that last week on a domestic flight, there was no one at the check-in counter). Besides giving me a two-bag free allowance, perhaps this will also result in an inclination by the airline to regard my request a bit more seriously. Or am I just dreaming?
Also, I will be connecting to a Lufthansa flight in FRA, and will have no control over that transfer of baggage.
I've actually thought of filling the void inside the package with semi-inflated balloons. Any thoughts? Useless?
). PAXboy, are you suggesting I should steer the conversation at check-in in that direction?One thing I'm hoping will work to my advantage is I'll be traveling as a United Premier passenger, with their special Premier Access check-in (although when I tried to used that last week on a domestic flight, there was no one at the check-in counter). Besides giving me a two-bag free allowance, perhaps this will also result in an inclination by the airline to regard my request a bit more seriously. Or am I just dreaming?
Also, I will be connecting to a Lufthansa flight in FRA, and will have no control over that transfer of baggage.
I've actually thought of filling the void inside the package with semi-inflated balloons. Any thoughts? Useless?
To be honest, the lottery of taking a normal, albeit well packed monitor with you is not stacked in your favour. It might get through ok if the baggage handlers at both ends are in a loving mood 
, but we all know that this is generally not the case. Might I suggest hiring a similar monitor at your destination for the duration of your trip ? The most that you'd have to do is re-calibrate it to your requirements and then hand it back when homeward bound.
, but we all know that this is generally not the case. Might I suggest hiring a similar monitor at your destination for the duration of your trip ? The most that you'd have to do is re-calibrate it to your requirements and then hand it back when homeward bound.
Paxing All Over The World
The United Premier part sounds good but the uknown transfer less so! I DO suggest asking if they have a fragile desk (usually the agent puts all the stickers on it and then you take the item to that other desk).
For packing - bubble wrap better than ballons. Baloons can only pop once and then have no further job to do. Bubble wrap spreads any bursting load and will retain function.
For packing - bubble wrap better than ballons. Baloons can only pop once and then have no further job to do. Bubble wrap spreads any bursting load and will retain function.
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Rent when you arrive
remember for most needs when away----it is always best to rent......
then no damage on arrival.
what reason to take monitor, has relevence.
having re read OP, perhaps to return home with a purchase....customs duty....??
then no damage on arrival.
what reason to take monitor, has relevence.
having re read OP, perhaps to return home with a purchase....customs duty....??
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I've never had a problem flying internationally with an LCD monitor as hand luggage, in fact on the route from JNB to LAD it's quite a common thing to see.
Don't see why you should have a problem as long as it meets the airline's size requirements.
Don't see why you should have a problem as long as it meets the airline's size requirements.
Perhaps that is so, but if you are dragging a monitor around with you it's usually work related and the monitor will be between 20" and 30" in size. When packed in it's box that's quite a sizeable piece to transport as hand baggage, even in F or C, more so if the flight is busy. Laptops go up to 17" in general, so it won't be smaller than that (i.e portable). Mind you on the African routes 'everything but the kitchen sink' seems to be the norm 
Get a box that lets you fit PET 1,5l water bottles between its walls and the monitor box.
Then drink a lot of Buxton mineral water, cram the empty bottles around the monitor packaging and nothing will happen.
I use the same trick if my suitcase isn't full. Either that or I use corrugated cardboard fruit trays (which are also ideal for transporting wine or beer - well-wrapped in newspaper and firmly packed in the tray - in checked luggage.)
24 bottles of various microbrewery beers and ciders from the UK a couple of weeks ago......
Then drink a lot of Buxton mineral water, cram the empty bottles around the monitor packaging and nothing will happen.
I use the same trick if my suitcase isn't full. Either that or I use corrugated cardboard fruit trays (which are also ideal for transporting wine or beer - well-wrapped in newspaper and firmly packed in the tray - in checked luggage.)
24 bottles of various microbrewery beers and ciders from the UK a couple of weeks ago......
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It's a 24-inch monitor, and is too big for carry on.
Renting is not an option, as I live in two locations and this is a "permanent" addition to my Budapest office. Cost was the main incentive, being less than half the price in the U.S. compared to sources in Hungary.
Customs is not an issue, as this is personal property, for personal use.
The water bottle suggestion sounds interesting, but I don't have any handy. The tap water where I live is about as good as it gets, and so no need for bottled water.
Played handball today with a friend who it turns out transports an LED monitor as checked baggage on flights to the East Coast, and says he's had no problems using just the original shipping box.
Let's roll the dice!
Renting is not an option, as I live in two locations and this is a "permanent" addition to my Budapest office. Cost was the main incentive, being less than half the price in the U.S. compared to sources in Hungary.
Customs is not an issue, as this is personal property, for personal use.
The water bottle suggestion sounds interesting, but I don't have any handy. The tap water where I live is about as good as it gets, and so no need for bottled water.
Played handball today with a friend who it turns out transports an LED monitor as checked baggage on flights to the East Coast, and says he's had no problems using just the original shipping box.
Let's roll the dice!
Bold approach
There is another way..
A friend of mine used to transport large mirrors in gilt frames from UK to Spain-as a business.
He merely stuck the destination label onto the frame. No packaging, nothing. Not one from about 20-30 was damaged in the slightest. You are of course relying on the integrity of the handlers that they KNOW what they're dealing with (as opposed to knowing that it's merely fragile etc) and hoping that they will treat the item with care and consideration.
Worth a shot? He who dares wins! (borrowed from another source!)
A friend of mine used to transport large mirrors in gilt frames from UK to Spain-as a business.
He merely stuck the destination label onto the frame. No packaging, nothing. Not one from about 20-30 was damaged in the slightest. You are of course relying on the integrity of the handlers that they KNOW what they're dealing with (as opposed to knowing that it's merely fragile etc) and hoping that they will treat the item with care and consideration.
Worth a shot? He who dares wins! (borrowed from another source!)
Original Packaging?
Think about what that monitor must have gone through in its packaging to make it to the store you bought it at. Do you really think one more flight will be any worse?
The only thing I might do is to add one layer of thin cardboard or wrapping material so as to conceal the exact nature and value of the device from dishonest handlers.
The only thing I might do is to add one layer of thin cardboard or wrapping material so as to conceal the exact nature and value of the device from dishonest handlers.
Think about what that monitor must have gone through in its packaging to make it to the store you bought it at
Compare this with unsupervised, sub-contracted baggage handlers with no motivation to handle product carefully.
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Personal use or not you will still have to pay import duty and VAT if its value is above the threshold (which I can't remember - in the region of €150 though) for bringing things into the EU. I took a 22" LCD as hand luggage SLC-MSP-AMS with NWA a couple of years ago. I was nervous as I was seriously stretching the allowance, particularly with a large laptop rucksack as my 'personal item', but NWA didn't complain at all, and it went into the overheads (A320 and 330) with no issues. At Schiphol, however, the Samsung box was spotted immediately and I was taken to one side. Fortunately I wasn't importing anything else and had a receipt to prove the monitor was just under the threshold, but all of my baggage was searched for anything else they could charge me for.