fuka@spectre.unm.edu (Mary Fuka) (06/12/91)
I'm sure this gets asked alot, but as a recent laptop purchaser about to go on their very first cross-continental business trip with laptop in tow, I'd appreciate some info on airplane travel with a laptop. Mine is a TI LT286/12, if that makes a difference. In particular, I have read and been told that many airlines discourage computer use while in flight, as they apparently interfere with comunications or some such thing. Granted, as a physicist who's on occasion played with EMP calculations, this sets me to wondering, but that's a discussion for some other newgroup :-). Any helpon rules and regs is much appreciated--I'm leaving Saturday the 15th of June. Oh, and by the way, if $999.99 is a good price for the TI LT286/12 (6.6 lb 286 based 12MHz system with 20MByte harddisk and 3.5" floppy, miscellaneous cables and battery pack), BizMart has restocked. This is in reference to my confused TI TravelMate 2000 posting of a couple of weeks ago. If any of you who contacted me are interested in the LT286 (good price, no idea if GREAT price) send e-mail, and I'll get you the phone and fax number... Thanks a lot! Mary Fuka
paul@cgh.cgh.com (Paul Homchick) (06/23/91)
fuka@spectre.unm.edu (Mary Fuka) writes: >I'm sure this gets asked alot, but as a recent laptop purchaser about to >go on their very first cross-continental business trip with laptop in tow, >I'd appreciate some info on airplane travel with a laptop. Mine is a >TI LT286/12, if that makes a difference. In particular, I have read and >been told that many airlines discourage computer use while in flight, as >they apparently interfere with communications or some such thing. > Mary Fuka I have been carrying laptop computers around with me ever since there was such a thing. I started with a Toshiba T1100 (not a T1100+, the one before that), then got a Toshiba T1000 and now I lug around an AT&T Safari. Since my work entails traveling almost every week, I have a bit of experience with this. I have put each and every laptop through the x-ray machine every time I go through security. If you request hand-checking they will probably ask you to turn it on. Since this is an inconvenience, I try to avoid it. If you let them x-ray it, they MIGHT let it through. As of late, though, most checkpoints request that you turn it on anyway. (Must be new rules, or new emphasis on the OLD rules!) In any event, I have never had any problems with x-rayed machines or diskettes. As to use in-flight, most airlines will announce what their policy is during the safety lecture. In USAIR jets, for instance, they request that you not use portable computers during take-off or landings, or on approach. American Eagle, which flies the smaller planes, requests that you not use portable computers at all. I used to ask the pilots, but now just assume that if they don't make an announcement prohibiting use of laptop computers, then it is okay. The most likely problems you will have are: 1) the fellow-traveler in the seat in front of you may recline his/her seat all the way back. If this happens, there won't be room to use the computer, 2) you may have a computer that does not have a backlight screen; many older planes have woefully inadequate lighting (or your overhead lamp may be burnt out) and you won't be able to see the computer screen. In other words, the problems you are likely to have are not going to be high tech ones. By all means take your laptop computer along with you on your trip. If it wasn't made for transcribing your thoughts at 40,000 feet, what was it made for? -- Paul Homchick :UUCP {rutgers | uunet} !cbmvax!cgh!paul Chimitt Gilman Homchick, Inc. :Internet paul@cgh.com 259 Radnor-Chester Rd, Suite 140 :MCI PHOMCHICK Radnor, PA 19087-5299 :GEnie HOMCHICK