There are many reasons why you might want to fly with your laptop. Whether you’re taking a work trip and want to take it with you or are going on a personal holiday and plan to take it along for work or entertainment, it’s important to know how to keep your laptop safe and secure, and what to do with it when you are going through airport security. Keep these tips in mind if you have an upcoming trip planned and will be taking your laptop with you.
Carry it Or Put it in Hand Luggage
You should keep your laptop with you at all times. You can put it in your hand luggage, but it’s best to avoid storing your laptop in the overhead storage area unless it’s securely stored in a small suitcase with other items like clothing that can cushion it from potentially being knocked around. You should never put your laptop in the hold luggage; batteries such as that in a laptop are not allowed and baggage handlers do not expect expensive electronics to be stored in the bag.
Keep it Charged
Make sure that your laptop is fully charged when you are travelling with it. This is because you may be asked to remove it from your luggage or its case and turn it on to demonstrate to airport security that it is a normal, functioning computer. One tip is to put it in sleep mode rather than turning it off before you arrive at the airport to make this process quicker if you’re asked to turn your laptop on for security. If you’re having battery problems with your current device, it might be worth checking out these Lenovo Custom Laptops.
Going Through Security
You will usually be asked to take your laptop out of your hand luggage or any bag/case that you have it in and put it through the x-ray at airport security. This is completely safe to do as the magnetic field that is generated by the x-ray at airports is not enough to cause any damage to your data or hard drive. On the other hand, the metal detectors used at airports could damage your laptop, so don’t go through with it. You will usually be asked to put your laptop into a tray for the x-ray before going through the metal detector yourself.
Keep It in Your Sight
While at the airport you might want to get your laptop out and take advantage of the free Wi-Fi available to get some work done or watch a show. If you’re doing this, then be sure to not let your laptop out of your sight. Always take your bag with you if you need to use the bathrooms or go and get a coffee while you’re at the airport or leave it with somebody you are travelling with. Airport security take abandoned bags and devices very seriously.
Travelling with electronic devices is not uncommon. If you are planning to take your laptop to the airport, keep these tips in mind for a smooth, safe experience.
