Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Anyone tried taking a boxed Mac Pro on a plane?

A

AVR2

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 16, 2006
428
11
Further to my post about a second-hand Mac Pro, I'll be visiting the USA soon and I'm tempted to buy an 8-core Mac Pro while I'm there (about $1100/£680 cheaper than buying the same model in the UK) and bring it back home on the plane with me. Is this really practical? Anyone done something similar?

The shipping weight, according to Amazon, is 51 pounds, which is 23kg and hence well within my luggage allowance.
 
AVR2 said:
Further to my post about a second-hand Mac Pro, I'll be visiting the USA soon and I'm tempted to buy an 8-core Mac Pro while I'm there (about $1100/£680 cheaper than buying the same model in the UK) and bring it back home on the plane with me. Is this really practical? Anyone done something similar?

The shipping weight, according to Amazon, is 51 pounds, which is 23kg and hence well within my luggage allowance.
Click to expand...

Fedex/UPS doesn't exactly baby such a package.

I would expect that a Mac Pro in its original packaging should "fare" quite well on a commercial jet.
 
My parents frequently take boxed bikes overseas so a Mac, with its smaller box, shouldn't be a problem.
 
Being a person that used to "throw bags" (as they call it) at Denver International, I would cast my vote AGAINST checking a Mac Pro in luggage. I doubt it will fit under the seat or in overhead bins, and if there's a bag type that gets most abused, it's small bags that weigh eleventy tons. Ramper grabs it, feels how heavy it is, and lets it fall to ground, throws it with great vengeance and furious anger onto carts and belts... repeat at every phase of transfer for that bag. I'd trust a shipper over airline baggers any day.
Nermal said:
My parents frequently take boxed bikes overseas so a Mac, with its smaller box, shouldn't be a problem.
Click to expand...
Bike boxes are awkward, but very light, and bikes are pretty durable.
 
Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (iPhone; Opera Mini/5.19802/24.854; U; en) Presto/2.5.25 Version/10.54)

I thought about this a while back and decided against it because I did not think it would survive the baggage handling.

However my plan was to take out all vital parts and carry them on, then just send the box.

Risk of damage is ALOT lower IMO if you take out CPU daughterboard, ram, HD, graphicscard etc and carry them on the plane.
 
In the US the machine will be 120V 60hz. Might be a problem if you are 240v 50hz.

You will also need to clear customs in your country. They might want to charge you some kind of import duty / tax.
 
xlii said:
In the US the machine will be 120V 60hz. Might be a problem if you are 240v 50hz.
Click to expand...


The PSUs are compatible with both voltages.

xlii said:
You will also need to clear customs in your country. They might want to charge you some kind of import duty / tax.
Click to expand...

This, however, will make the operation probably not cost efficient as they will definitely charge taxes.
Not worth the risk.

To protect the Pro form being damaged (which it definitely will in its normal box) you'd also need some kind of Pelican case, which alone is several hundred dollars. You'll end up paying more than just buying it in the UK.
 
I've done it plenty. I have it in a Pelican Case to protect it. I take out the mechanical drives and put them in my hand luggage. It's not cheap though shipping with FedEx or UPS works out about the same as a plane ticket and excess baggage isn't cheap at all. You WON'T get it on as hand luggage which is normally limited to around 7kgs.
 
A friend flew from LA to Detroit to do some music production work and checked his Mac (in its original Apple box) in as checked luggage.

It somehow never arrived at the other end. Gee, funny about that ...

Don't Do It.

(Or, if you have to do it, put it in a different, unmarked box.)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back