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I've read that there are some new regulations for electronic devices at UK airports. If the devices are in your hand baggage, they must be fully charged and you have to demonstrate, that they are working, or something like that.

Now what if I take my desktop computer components - Motherboard, CPU, GPU, RAM, PSU, Hard Drive (no case). I plan to wrap them with a lot of plastic bubble foil.

Would they want me to re-assemble the components and check if they are working? And would such baggage be a cause of some security freak out?

I'm flying from Istanbul to Edinburgh with Turkish Airlines.

I can't afford to waste time giving explanations to police all day for nothing on either the Turkish or British side.

Here's an article I found (http://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2011/03/18/bomb-scare-at-edinburgh-airport/)

What do you think?

Thanks.

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    I can't afford to waste time giving explanations to police all day for nothing on either the Turkish or British side.. That is a wrong premise, whatever the situation,. You cannot do that if the border guards decide to ask questions, even if you are right. You will have to answer questions or else they might make your entry as difficult as they can do.
    – DumbCoder
    Aug 21, 2014 at 8:08
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    @DumbCoder, I don't mean I won't give explanations, but that I'd rather not have this whole ordeal, cuz I'm on a tight schedule on the day of arrival. My question is, could bringing PC components potentially cause me such nuisance?
    – Windom Earle
    Aug 21, 2014 at 12:29
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    @Flimzy, I'm trying to cut costs. :D
    – Windom Earle
    Aug 21, 2014 at 12:30
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    "I can't afford to waste time giving explanations to police all day for nothing on either the Turkish or British side." tell that to a customs officer and they'll make sure you're going to be there all day doing just that.
    – jwenting
    Aug 21, 2014 at 14:19
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    Note that article is over 3 years old, so it has nothing to do with new regulations. Further AFAIK the new requirements relate to check-in and security to try and prevent bad stuff getting on the plane; the procedures for arrivals haven't notably changed. Which all means that if you're going to have issues around this they're almost certainly going to be in Istanbul, not Edinburgh so I'd concentrate on finding out what the current rules and procedures are at that end.
    – Nigel Harper
    Aug 22, 2014 at 9:35

1 Answer 1

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The whole idea behind making sure that electronic devices work is to make sure that the internal parts are not replaced with a bomb, if someone tries to smuggle a bomb inside an electronic device, it will not be possible to achieve that while keeping the original components intact, so the best is just to make sure the device is working and this will exclude any possibility of hiding bomb parts inside electronic devices (laptops, tablets, etc.). It is simple yet effective method.

Given that, computer parts are not the main concern here, the main concern is what underneath the holding case (laptop case, desktop case, etc.), so in theory parts will not be a problem as long as you EXPLAIN to the security personnel what are they. I am also positive there are not restriction of any kind to computer parts onboard.

Anyway, Here are few tips:

  • Do not wrap them in a way that makes it hard to show what's inside the wrap.
  • If you have the boxes, put them in their boxes. This will make the job much easier.
  • If boxes not available, bring the manuals, usually manuals contains photos of the device and explanation, this will save you from EXPLAINING.
  • EXPLAIN to them if they ask, they have nothing personal against you, they are just doing their job to keep everyone safe
  • Give a hint to the security personnel before putting the bag in the X-Ray scanner, this way they won't set off any alarm when they spot the bomb-like things in the screen.
  • Come 30 minutes earlier, just in case you need to explain.
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