12 hour flight today and I've been reading a hell of a lot of psots about packing a computer and horror stories at airports, shipping isnt an option as its expensive and need my computer active nearly ASAP as I'm moving to begin college for film and media.

  • Wrapped computer both sides 3x with bubblewrap and tape (pink circle)

  • Wrapped speaker system both sides 2z with bubblewrap and take (blue circle)

  • Took out my 2 GPU's and SSD (coming with me in my backpack)

  • Packed around and layered with clothing.

Flying with British Airways and checking in, praying all goes well!

I'll update this post shortly with what happens. In the meantime please share any tips or stories..

47 Comments

  1. SirGeorgington

    If that’s a checked bag, I wouldn’t count on it making it out alive.

  2. mecha_monk

    You should have used a hard suitcase, not one of these flimsy cloth ones 🫡 rip(ieces)

  3. Reticent-Soul

    You could disassemble the PC, wrap the parts up safely and repack them inside the case with clothes / a towel for padding.

  4. DanyRahm

    If that is only the case and all big components are disassembled and packed individually, you should be golden.

  5. grimreefer87

    That is NOT going to make it. The baggage handlers literally chuck your bag as far as they can, and slam them all over the place. There is a 0% chance that your computer will make it unharmed.

    If it was in a hard case with expanding foam, maybe it could make it…but like this? Not a chance. Sorry

  6. mysteryprickle

    In a wide body jet liner where they put all the luggage in those containers they load on…. there can be as many as 10 bags on top of yours if you’re unlucky.

    Not to mention the chucking, punching and kicking of bags by handlers.

  7. Taliasimmy69

    If that soft case is all you got then I would recommend stuffing the inside of the case with clothes. Basically to try and wedge the parts in place and not let them get jostled around because that case is not firm and any amount of torque or tension is going to break that case apart.

  8. ACM1PT_Peluca

    They will make you open the packaging, and put everything outside. totally recommend you to not tape it or make it difficult to check it.
    But as always, it depends on the person checking. It should be enough with the xrays..

    Sadly most controllers are ass.

  9. ACM1PT_Peluca

    Wait… isn’t disassembled?

    100%it will not make it, unless its a 10kg cabin lugagge.
    If goes in deposit, u can say goodbye to it.

  10. ryrytotheryry

    Playing a dangerous game! Good luck!

    Personally, I’d just buy a new case if I were moving and needed to take my pc with me, safest way

  11. TurnipTim

    I stuffed my PC full of my clean undies and brought it on as carry on in a soft case. (It was an sffpc though, Ncase M1 air cooled)

  12. Soulcaller

    you need hard case for that G, that will be destroyed

  13. VegetableJezu

    Luggage will be x-rayed for bombs, they will probably have to open it to look inside an impenetrable box.

    Also, valuable parts may be stolen.

  14. SqBlkRndHole

    Yeah, you should get a Pelican case or some other hard case made for abuse. This feels like using a $30 PSU with a $400 CPU.

  15. giantfood

    If it has a battery, it doesn’t go in checked luggage.

    If the battery gets damaged it could start a fire with no one around to put it out.

  16. Tasty-Bug-3712

    Should remove the GPU from the case.

  17. SpectreFire

    This is so fucking stupid. You can check in a normally packaged item as usual ur baggage allowance. It doesn’t have to be in a piece of luggage e for fucks sake. Just get a box, lots of packing material, and pack it properly.

  18. JaggedMetalOs

    I fedexed a large tower successfully. CPU cooler, GPU and hard drives were removed and packed in their original boxes while the tower was wrapped in 1″ thick foam.

    I’ve also carried a Silverstone ML-08 in checkin bags with the GPU and drive in carry on, but that things basically a metal slab so I wasn’t worried about it.

  19. deep8787

    Hmm it’s a bit dodgy. Just make sure to tell them it has fragile contents when you check it in… whether that will actually help or not is a different matter.

    Good luck!

  20. ABoredSpanishPerson

    I did that. Exactly the same way you described it. The worst thing that can happen are hdd failing and tempered glass exploding. I had none of those and it did wonders. You didn’t need to remove the ssds btw.

  21. thank GOD you took out your gpus 😭. you would’ve opened that up to see 2 broken pcie slots and 2 broken gpus lol

  22. Zephyerr

    Yeah I’m gonna just flat out say it, I worked as someone who loaded suitcases on planes, we wouldn’t think anything of it and just chuck this luggage in there..

    100% will break

  23. I did it like that, got lucky it lived, this is still a big gamble, logistic don’t give a fuck about luggage they are paid to be fast not carefull, your suitcase will be launched from point A to point B most of the time.

  24. Sensitive_Froyo_2850

    It will not survive, dont do it

  25. Press styrofoam pieces inside to fix components from falling around. In general this isn’t a good idea…

  26. MyPizzaWithPepperoni

    Dude, just take it on the cabin on your feet, I did an ITX build solely for that and had no issues crossing the sea from south america to europe.

  27. Layziethelapras6

    This is why I keep my Xbox one lol 😂 I don’t use it often but I can throw it in a duffel if it breaks ole well a pc ain’t worth the risk

  28. Ok-Air4027

    Why don’t you de-assemble all parts , put wrapping paper/bubble wraps (wrap em in antistatic bags if you are that much paranoid) for each part label all parts for extra security . I hope the case does not have glass panels ….

    That way it will have higher probability of survival .

  29. Alortania

    I’d have advised you to disassemble the big parts; gpu, cpu cooler and put what you can in your carry-on.

    When I faced a similar situation a friend suggested I rebuild in a tiny case and bring the whole thing in my carry-on. Have it to this day and love it.

  30. coffeejn

    Fingers crossed that it does not go missing during the trip.

    Have you considered just shipping it as an overnight package instead?

  31. 1stltwill

    Bring it on as a carry on. You’ll be OK.

  32. DarthRiznat

    This is what I do when/if I ever need to move country: Take only GPU, processor, motherboard, storage drives and RAM in my carrying bag. Sell the case, PSU & cpu cooler, and buy them after I get there.

    This is always the way.

  33. AtTheGates

    ![gif](giphy|eXUEJIGa2BXWjh8q6l|downsized)

  34. Catch_022

    Carry on is the only way to be sure it is going to survive imo.

  35. despaseeto

    well. reading the other comments tells me that you’ll be part of those packaged pc horror stories. gl mate

  36. salty_pepperpot

    Take it apart and wrap.everytjing separately, or even better in the original boxes if you have them. Platter HDD’s need to be in you carry on preferably. Honestly I’d just buy a new case when you’re there. Deffo take the cooler of the motherboard. Leave the CPU on, and don’t forget to take some thermal paste!

  37. I’d trust the suitcase if it was a full metal something like these metal Rimowa suitcases maybe, but this? ugh

Write A Comment