I cant find anything on the American Airlines site specifically discussing laptops. I did see at the top of their page they list the Galaxy Note 7 is banned. My boss thinks there is still some restriction on laptops. I thought they decided to not ban them.

I just flew between Chicago and New Jersey last week via southwest. Laptops were allowed.

No restrictions on laptops, just flew a few weeks ago on American. Your good!

Note 7 and vapes are not allowed.

i slide my laptop backpack under the seat all the time.  it only counts towards a personal item, you can still carry on a small suitcase in the overhead.

As I recall, the laptop ban was initiated for certain foreign airports.

I looked into this a bit just now. I was surprised to see among the generic questions that google poses when you do a search like this, it's stated that cell phones and laptops and such are NOT to be in checked baggage!

I've travelled quite a bit over the last five years, though it was all to other countries, and many people carried laptops onto planes. The only limitation I saw was that they wanted them in their own tub when going through security.

laptops need to go thru security in a separate bin, by its self. Thats the only restriction in US airports. You can indeed carry them on the plane, and use them. Now, if you have wires sticking out of them or its coated in a white powder, that could set off some bells!

OK, second part of this question. I originally thought this trip would not require any tools. But now a tv needs to be upgraded and the mount changed to an arm. Are their any issues besides weight limits about carrying tools in checked bags, specifically a lithium battery drill?

I think large lithium batteries cannot be checked, they have to be carried on. I have never tried to bring a battery as large as a drill battery though.

The drill & bits will probably need to be checked. I would double check with the TSA website beforehand. Once you get to the security line there isn't much you can do

[Link: tsa.gov]

They made me "carry on" my drill battery. All other tools went in checked baggage. Sometimes i check my whole Veto XL. Sometimes i put all my hand tools in zip lock bags and put them right into my suitcase.

Word of advice...got any expensive flashlights or multi tools? Leave them at home or risk losing them to TSA.

As the cost of checked bags rises, it may be economical to airfreight the tools separately. If you air travel regularly with tools, a "flight kit" can be dropped off at an airfreight terminal and delivered directly to the site at the other end. This arrangement might be more effective use of your time and could enable you to take larger items that would be difficult to manage on your flight.

holy shit fins, when is the last time you have flown?!?!?! LOL

For a work trip where tools would be required it’s been several years. The last several out of town jobs were close enough that driving made more sense. I did fly for a job about a year ago, but it was private jet.

If laptops couldn't be taken on flights, the world economy would implode pretty much I would think. Either that or people would have to learn to write again.

Or perhaps sit quietly.

A dozen years ago a TSA agent nearly blew up the plane I was on. I had taken a bunch kf tools, loose, in a suitcase. Some nimrod removed the battery from my electric drill and didn't put ut back onto the drill.

This was a $20 Harbor Freight drill whose battery terminals were exposed when the battery was separate from the drill. That's bad construction, but what the TSA guy did might have codt an entjre airplane.