View Full Version : Taking a laptop on board a flight.
Silly question time....
I am planning on taking my laptop with me on my holiday to Florida, mainly so I can download the pictures from my digital camera at the end of each day.
Will I be allowed to use it whilst I am on the plane to watch dvds or will it interfere with the electronic gizmos which make a plane stay in the air?
Thanks.
Walter.
See told you it was a stupid question.
Katys Grandad
18-06-2005, 20:24
Apart from during take-off and landing - Yes.
You will need to think about battery life, so see if the airline you are travelling with has power outlets at your seat. You can buy a special adapter to plug in.
Ray&Sarah
18-06-2005, 20:28
Ray uses his laptop on flights to and from the US all the time without any problems, just as previously mentioned not during take-off and landing.[msnsmile2]
floridadreamvilla.co.uk
18-06-2005, 20:43
I use mine on flights all the time but not during take off or landing and you have to remember to switch off the wireless part of the laptop as it's not allowed whilst in flight.
Florida3883
18-06-2005, 21:06
Some good advice above as I will be taking my laptop on my next trip to Fl.
LiesaAnna
18-06-2005, 21:11
i would be scared that they may interfere with "things"
everything is just soooooo clever these days!!
Cruella DeVilla
18-06-2005, 21:31
I also use mine onboard, can't be without it! Only problem is if the person infront reclines it becomes difficult to use.
Me too we all took one last year, me, hubby and oldest daughter, great to surf whilst sitting by the pool[msnsmile2]
Thanks for the answers.
I was 90% sure I could, but didnt want to take it if it had to go in the hold to be thrown about and jumped on.
Walter.
If you don't have a power adaptor on the seats you are in, don't let it run completly flat, some times at the security checks I have been asked to turn on our laptop.
floridadreamvilla.co.uk
19-06-2005, 02:22
I'd ask them for a power outlet and plug it into there if I had to. I'd hope they would be ok with this [msnsmile]
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by amy
If you don't have a power adaptor on the seats you are in, don't let it run completly flat, some times at the security checks I have been asked to turn on our laptop.
[/quote]
Yep that should work John [msnsmile]
wow ! modern science now !!! Everyone will soon have a laptop where ever they go just like a mobile phone.
Frightening isn't it ??
chrisflowers
19-06-2005, 11:51
If you fly from a larger airport you may be lucky and have planes equipped with an Empower socket in the seats - Gatwick flights with Continental for example have these as standard in economy as well as business class.
Flew (special offer) business with Continental on their new route from Bristol a few weeks back, but they did not have power even in Business class, which is unusual - they had taken the same plane used from Orlando to Newark (domestic - 757) which is not of the same standard as usual Business class from other cities.
Anyone able to list airline that have Empower sockets in the seats?
I do quite a bit of work - mainly web development, on the flights, which makes them go by quicker.
If you transit through any airport in the US, the laptops have to go separately through security x-ray (which drains the batteries by about 5% each time), you don't need to open them to prove that they are working like you used to, a few years ago.
Magical Dreams
19-06-2005, 16:13
We had to switch our on in Gatwick this time using Virgin.
It was a pain, but you can't be too careful.
Power Sockets
As time goes on, more and more flights will have it available.
But I think you will find it is usually only business class or upper class that have this available.
Best to ask at time of booking and then again on check in!
Our laptop came in very handy on our last flight - wasn't a pleasant flight for various reasons and the CSD advised us to write a letter ... out came the laptop and it passed an hour or so! [msnsad]
At some of the bigger airports you can even use the WI-FI to gain access to the net. handy if you want to do some last minute shopping!!!
Has anyone flown on Virgin recently and had a power outlet? I know they have them as standard on Upperclass etc but do the cheap seats get it?
We have just used Virgin in the last week backl from Orlando, although I was using the Laptop for part of the journey, didn't see anypower outlets, but there again I never asked.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by becbecs
We have just used Virgin in the last week backl from Orlando, although I was using the Laptop for part of the journey, didn't see anypower outlets, but there again I never asked.
[/quote]
Only in First Class I think[msnwink]
CarolAnn
02-09-2005, 13:53
Good pointers on here. We have only just bought a laptop, and were thinking of taking it on hols, mainly for watching DVDS on flight, and dounloading pics from camera!!
andrewandcarole
02-09-2005, 14:29
On slightly different tack - on entering the US take your laptop out of its case if you have to go through a security check. Saves the emabarrassment of being pulled aside and the laptop being swabbed for explosives. This happened to me the first time I took my laptop in through Orlando Interntional Airport - having checked it over (which took about 20 minutes!!) they told me to always remove it from the case in future.
Carole
I think its conpulsary now that you have to take your laptop out of its case when going through customs in the USA. Both my last two trips Direct from Mchr UK and Via Philadelphia to ORlando Ihave had to put the Laptop in a different basket for scanning. There are signs now pre warning you. Its just a pain to have to unpack and pack it back in again
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by amy
If you don't have a power adaptor on the seats you are in, don't let it run completly flat, some times at the security checks I have been asked to turn on our laptop.
[/quote]
We always take a laptop and usually Orlando MCO want to see it powered up at security so good point, leave some battery life!
If there is bad turbulence you may get asked to shut it down for a while! Otherwise enjoy and have a good time.
Steve and Dawn
09-09-2005, 18:32
Yep, No problem, we always use ours to play some games etc to while away the journey