In an era where our digital lives are as important as our physical ones, the question of whether to have your laptop in a checked in baggage is more relevant than ever.
This was highlighted with a recent incident of a laptop getting damaged despite being declared as fragile. For context, the passenger said that he needed to put the laptop in his checked-in baggage because his carry-on was already filled with other devices.
The post has received mixed reactions, some siding with the passenger and not questioning the airline’s response to the matter, while many also voiced that it was, in the end, the passenger’s fault for entrusting his expensive gadget with a system that has a lot of room for error.
What Do the Rules Say?
Philippine Airlines, the Airline in question, has a dedicated page which shows which items are allowed and not allowed in your checked-in baggage.
While there is no specific mention of a laptop in the photo, the fact that a battery-powered vehicle isn’t allowed for checked baggage, and that rechargeable battery packs are only allowed as carry-ons should already be an indicator.
According to the IATA, it is highly recommended that laptops or any electronic devices be in your carry-on luggage. And should you really need to put them in your checked baggage, they have to be turned off and not be in sleep or hibernate mode.
The Security and Safety Issue
I remember that in each one of my travels, I would be asked if there are electronic devices with batteries in my checked-in bags.
As to why batteries are typically not allowed in checked-in bags? They can get damaged during the flight (because we don’t have control over some things like turbulence), which can then pose a safety risk for those on board.
Then there’s the risk of items being stolen or in some cases, even added to or from your baggage. Just like what happened to a passenger’s luggage back in 2024. Pasalubongs, lip balm sets, and even olive oil sets were missing. Surprisingly, she also found items that were not hers which included a beaded purse, a denim purse with used and dirty makeup brushes, and more.
Now, things have probably improved but imagine if you had a valuable item such as a laptop in your bag. Would you take the risk? I wouldn’t.
The Practical Alternative
Having your valuable gadget(s) in your carry-on is just more practical too. Imagine if you had to work on something mid-flight, or you simply want to play a game or watch your favorite movie. Being able to just reach out and immediately access say, your laptop, just makes more sense.
Airlines understand this reality. Thus, their carry-on policies are usually designed to accommodate laptops, often explicitly mentioning them as items that should remain with you.
Protecting Your Gadgets
Now I know. Your laptop looks great and all, but if you’re going to be travelling with it, I highly suggest that you put on something to protect it. A laptop bag, or a case that would soften the bumps in case it falls off your lap or if for any reason, you have to put it in your checked baggage.
Again, no matter how many fragile stickers you put on your device, you can’t control things like turbulence, which may cause things to move around. It will not save your gadget from being damaged, but you can at least lower the risk of it getting damaged by investing in protective equipment.
The Bottom Line
As someone who has crossed time zones with technology in tow several times both for work and leisure, I believe checking in your laptop is a gamble not worth taking—one that risks not just an expensive device, but potentially loss of property, and the safety of everyone on board.
Emman has been writing technical and feature articles since 2010. Prior to this, he became one of the instructors at Asia Pacific College in 2008, and eventually landed a job as Business Analyst and Technical Writer at Integrated Open Source Solutions for almost 3 years.
