Box fresh laptop and airport security?

Box fresh laptop and airport security?

Author
Discussion

WY86

Original Poster:

1,445 posts

32 months

Saturday 21st September
quotequote all
Has anyone taken a brand new laptop which is inbox and sealed through Airport security? I am visiting family in the Algarve and i am only taking carry on. Will it be an issue?

CheesecakeRunner

4,319 posts

96 months

Saturday 21st September
quotequote all
This risk would be getting tugged at customs and invited to pay whatever the Portuguese import and sales taxes are.

Jambur

33 posts

66 months

Saturday 21st September
quotequote all
Not quite the same route, but I'd recommend unboxing it to avoid possible import tax liability. I had to do similar bringing a new laptop from Japan to Ireland

GCH

4,042 posts

207 months

Sunday 22nd September
quotequote all
I have - three macbook airs, all shrinkwrap sealed. No issues.
As long as they fit through the scanner and it can be scanned, that is all they care about.

Rough101

2,143 posts

80 months

Sunday 22nd September
quotequote all
They’ll usually want it out the box to scan on its own.

mikeiow

5,926 posts

135 months

Sunday 22nd September
quotequote all
Perhaps 6 or 7 years ago, I recall being asked to power on a laptop I had. No idea why: never asked before or since, but I guess they might insist on that.

Truckosaurus

11,877 posts

289 months

Monday 23rd September
quotequote all
Indeed. Worst case is you have to take it out of the box and power it on.

(My laptop is my old work one and has a Kensington lock attachment superglued to the case, which always gets flagged by the security scanner, they just take a physical glance at it and put it back in the tray....)

dundarach

5,283 posts

233 months

Monday 23rd September
quotequote all
Why does it have to be sealed in the box?

I'd at least check it worked before lugging it all the way over there!

bigandclever

13,919 posts

243 months

Monday 23rd September
quotequote all
mikeiow said:
Perhaps 6 or 7 years ago, I recall being asked to power on a laptop I had. No idea why: never asked before or since, but I guess they might insist on that.
10 years or so ago, the TSA changed their rules that powerless devices wouldn't be allowed onto planes; the UK followed suit.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/08/brit...