Is 17" MBP too big for coach-class airplane use?

[ormandj]

You know what commerical popped into my head? The original 12" and 17" Powerbook commerical. I'm going to be getting onto a plane one the 21st (missing three days of school, oh darn), and when I get on, I'm going to be 6' 3" and be using a 12" iBook. This is going to be the first time I've had a laptop on a flight, so it will be an interesting flight.

BTW, for those who fly frequently, how many people fly on a plane on 6:30 in the morning?

Completely depends where you are going. Most people take flights to arrive at a certain time, departure time generally isn't part of the equation. That's certainly how I fly. As long as the departure date is ok, I could care less at what hour. It's VERY critical that I arrive at a specific time and date, however.

Best times I've found to fly internationally are Wednesdays and Thursdays. Hawaii->Mainland flights are generally best on these days too. Fridays are way overbooked usually, same for saturday/sunday. Tuesday is always booked up for mid-week meeting folks. Monday is a crappy day, I refuse to fly on it out of principal for Mondays sucking. With my luck, my seat would fall out the bottom of the plane.

 

[lamina]

I tried using my 17" PB on a plane once... it was really really tight. Sometimes I wish I had a 15 or even a 12 for portability (especially in lectures), but when I am able to have 4 word documents on the screen at once, it all makes sense.

I'd say go for the 17" if you don't travel much and don't mind a bit of extra bulk.

 

[diehldun]

17" is fine for coach!

My 17" PowerBook has travelled throughout the world in coach, from Australia to Africa. Absolutely no problems whatsoever on any flight so far.

Granted, it will certainly be a little tight, as it will take up the entire traytable area, but I don't see why it should be a problem. It's great for watching movies!

As for weight, I've haven't really had problem with that. Nevertheless, I'm going off to college, and I think I'll get a 15" MPB as a replacement because it seems a tad too big for school.

 

[Konfabulation]

My 17" PowerBook has travelled throughout the world in coach, from Australia to Africa. Absolutely no problems whatsoever on any flight so far.

Granted, it will certainly be a little tight, as it will take up the entire traytable area, but I don't see why it should be a problem. It's great for watching movies!

As for weight, I've haven't really had problem with that. Nevertheless, I'm going off to college, and I think I'll get a 15" MPB as a replacement because it seems a tad too big for school.

Ya, in some of my classes we use the chairs with the small fold-away desks, and the 17" would def not fit.

 

[YS2003]

When you take your 17" MBP or PB, I believe the machine will be carried in the proper computer bag. The bags I saw for a 17" unit are rather big. Is it allowed to carry such a large bag as a secondary bag in addition to normal carry-on roller-wheel bag? If you are only carrying your computer bag only as a carry on item, does that bag fit under the seat in front of you? I don't want to put it up on the shelf as it is cumbersome to reach out to the shelf.

 

[benthewraith]

Amen...

Anything bigger than 14.1" is pushing it in coach. On the other hand, Virgin Atlantic created seats that gives maybe two...three more inches.

 

[aaronfzr]

If you sat next to me in coach with a 17" laptop, I'd request a new seat immediately, and if I didn't get it - take care of it with management.

What airline would accomodate that request? If there are spare seats I'm sure they would help you out, but if there are none, and the person's laptop is not going beyond the bounds of their own seat, I dont think you'd have much of a case. Of course, squeezing past for that bathroom break might be tight but thats their problem, and embarassment...

 

[2ndPath]

When you take your 17" MBP or PB, I believe the machine will be carried in the proper computer bag. The bags I saw for a 17" unit are rather big. Is it allowed to carry such a large bag as a secondary bag in addition to normal carry-on roller-wheel bag? If you are only carrying your computer bag only as a carry on item, does that bag fit under the seat in front of you? I don't want to put it up on the shelf as it is cumbersome to reach out to the shelf.

Seeing the amount of carry-on-baggage brought onto the planes by some people, I don't think a laptop bag for a 17"MBP would be a problem. But that's just my guess.

 

[Sesshi]

It's not just the size as to whether it'll sit on the table well. It's also about general practicality if you're seriously considering fully portable use of a laptop. With the 17", you're inevitably going to be bumping into things, whacking fellow passengers, etc. It is a thin but large beast, no getting around that.

So it becomes about whether you actually need 17" on the move, or whether something you want is just the core of a transportable desktop, but not having to carry a large laptop around with you.

My own ideas about this have changed a lot in the last 10 months that I started being a Mac owner and certainly in the 6 months that I've had the 17" MBP. I've had a lot of technical issues with the MBP and that really interfered from thinking about optimum usability - I had to concentrate on just usability. Same with some of my other Mac hardware purchased this year, but the Intel Mac portables have been undoubtedly the POS'iest laptops I've had in the last 6 years.

Anyway, having finally tired of using the MBP as my primary machine I carried on the thinking that I will probably need to carry everything around with me - so I replaced the 17" MBP with the HP NX9420, a technically virtually identical machine, only under Windows. However it's turned out not to be the optimum in my case. Because when I shuttled to and forth between the various places I work, I have already procured large monitors and keyboard/mice for each location.

What I finally realised was that all I needed was a relatively compact laptop which was easily dockable with monitor, keyboard and mouse (and LAN, etc) in order for me to work with it as essentially a full desktop.

So my final solution for this year are relatively compact Dell Latitudes with the D/Port docking stations. I'm grateful for the knowledge I gained but I really am glad to see the back of Mac notebooks as my primary machines. The D/Port system allows me to move a 'normal sized' laptop around various sites, use them on the move (in a more effective / usable way than a stock MBP despite the inferior OS and fugliness - because the hardware is superior) and yet dock them in one step and effectively have a 'proper' desktop PC.

The Macs, lacking Dell's elegant D/Port interface will be necessarily a bigger hassle to use in this way but the 15" MBP combined with an iCurve and an ACD + Apple keyboard at each location (you can carry a wireless Mighty Mouse with you) that you would call a base would be in my opinion, a smarter way of working than lugging a 17" MBP around with you all the time.


If any of that's hard to read I'm really sorry, but I just typed that up in one go and I've had too much booze (at 6pm my time? yeah, bad isn't it) to really go over it again.

 

[ormandj]

What airline would accomodate that request? If there are spare seats I'm sure they would help you out, but if there are none, and the person's laptop is not going beyond the bounds of their own seat, I dont think you'd have much of a case. Of course, squeezing past for that bathroom break might be tight but thats their problem, and embarassment...

I've done it before on day-long flights, they require the person to either put away their notebook or find a new seat. "Requesting a new seat" is a polite way to say "telling the attendents to tell the a**hole next to you to put his humongous desktop with a battery away". I wouldn't have a problem if it actually fit, but they don't. They hang over the sides and interfere with your "space" which on modern planes is VERY tight. It's especially annoying when they keep "accidently bumping" your tray/stuff/etc. Not to mention their elbows are constantly jabbing you in the shoulder as they attempt to type on the monsterous beast.

If you want a portable, get a portable. If you want a desktop, get a desktop. The 17" are just about worthless as portables on airplanes. That is, unless you're flying first class or on some luxury airline.

 

[YS2003]

17" monster

After reading this thread, it seems a 17" MBP /PB is not a good companion on the airline ride. I have not seen a person who carries a 17" MBP on the airline as of yet. But, I have seen people with 13" MB and 15" MBP.

I would be interested in hearing more comments from the actual owners of 17" MBP or PB who takes their Macs with their air travel.

 

[strydr]

I don't fly too much, but after a few trips trying to watch a movie on my 17, i've given up, and now watch it on the iPod. The only way I could watch on the PB, was to leave it in my lap, with the whole unit tipped so I could see the screen. not too fun. I still wouldn't give up my 17 for anything!

 

[diehldun]

Read earlier post

After reading this thread, it seems a 17" MBP /PB is not a good companion on the airline ride. I have not seen a person who carries a 17" MBP on the airline as of yet. But, I have seen people with 13" MB and 15" MBP.

I would be interested in hearing more comments from the actual owners of 17" MBP or PB who takes their Macs with their air travel.

As I said earlier in this thread, I think MOST of the complaints you're hearing are over-exagerated. I don't want to repeat myself (see earlier post on this page), but I fly a lot and I've NEVER had any problems bringing my 17" PB onboard in coach.

Granted, it's going to be tight, but I certainly never "bumped" into other fellow passengers. In reality, there shouldn't be problems!

 

[nickelbackmac]

I hope it's OK. I would think that it would be, but I've only had a 14" Dell on one back in '04.

Going to California this summer, and hopefully my 17" PB (or 17" MBP, or whatever they are by then, that's what I'm aiming for) won't be too big. If it is I'll have to use it at an angle, so good luck with that.


If you fly before coming July-August, LMK how it works out

 

[Over Achiever]

I've flown many times with my 17" PB, haven't had any issues with it. Sometimes the seat is too far back and I have to set it on my lap but it works fine. I've even sat in the middle seat and had the two people next to me watch (i split the audio to the two, I watched in silence )

It's a bit crowded, but it will work. When you have something, you work around it. =)

Now I use a 13.3" laptop, I find it much more convienent. But the 17" should work just fine.

 

[maycontainnutz]

i haven't tried bringing it on an airplane but so far by looking at mine, it looks like it'll be ok

 

[jlanuez]

YES, it is way to big!!!

Is the 17" MBP too big to be used in the average coach class airplane seat?
(I'm whittling down my pros/cons in 15.4 vs 17 MBP)

YES. Luckly (or unfortuantly, 114 flights last year!) we fly so much we get upgraded to 1st, where the 17" is fine. But I NEVER even bother to pull it out in coach, NEVER!
The 17" is way to big for coach class!

 

[bijou]

Yeah, a 15" is even pushing it. Plus, don't forget about the extra weight!

 

[Cybergypsy]

15....or wait for a 12er....

 

[vicious7]

Traveling from the east coast to the west and back a couple of times a month, I must agree that the 15 incher is just at the threshold of comfort. My associates 12" PB is a thing to be envied on those flights.

The consensus seems to be that 17" notebooks are cumbersome, at best, and I think using them in coach would border on being rude to your neighbor. How can anyone possibly do any work or enjoy a movie on these things when you have to be a Cirque du Soleil contortionist to leverage the much vaunted screen real estate?