Still possible to bring TVs with you on flights?

NV_

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Aug 4, 2003
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I havent flown in many years and was wondering if its still possible to bring a TV (32" more or less) with you on a flight without being charged an arm and a leg?

Would I have to find a way to squeeze it into a piece of luggage or would I just lug the box in?
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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Some posters have said they just leave the TV in it's original box, no problems, no customs fee.
Most go the "Put in HUGE Suitcase" routine.
"ADVICE" is useless, because you never know what they are going to do, and neither do they.
After many years bringing electronic "Stuff" in my luggage, I just buy what I want here.
Computers not included, they still charge Waaaaaaaaaaaaay too much here.
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drescape24

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Nov 2, 2011
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In December 2010 I brought a 32" in my suitcase as had to pay customs. I was told if I didn't arrive in Decemeber it would have been better. I came out alittle ahead. But I had t.v. that night to watch football.
Last year I brought in a 52" and naturally left it in the box. Customs had the t.v. waiting for me at the office. How nice of them, haha but That's how it works. I save some money on that t.v. Both were Samsung t.v. and That's the brand I like.
Would I do it again. No. I will buy one here. But that's just me. Hope that helps.
 

windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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As you can already see, everyone's experience will be different. Some will pay nothing, some will pay a little and some will pay a lot just as CC already pointed out.
 

LTSteve

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Jul 9, 2010
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Depending on what airport you are flying into there might be slight deviations in their procedures to check luggage. I noticed that coming into El Catey they now scan all bags as one of the last steps going through customs. So now matter how you hide something they sometime can find it. If you have any hope of bringing it in withought paying duty you would need to take it out of the box. There is no way you can bring it through customs without declaring it and you will pay a heavy tax. Take it out of the box and try to find a large enough suitcase to fit it in. Remember there is limit on how big the suitcase can be that are being brought into the DR. You can go on the airline website to find this out. The airlines are very strick about this and will not let you slide through if it is oversize. Good luck

LTSteve
 

SKY

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Apr 11, 2004
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I have brought in at least a half dozen TV's in my luggage throughout the years. The last a few months ago. Never paid one peso in tax. Two times they opened my bag and saw it. I said it was a computer monitor and they let it go. Usually I take a 25 inch TV out of the box protected by towels and clothes. Never had any breakage either.

They make great gifts for my help.
 

windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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If you are bringing in a tv small enough to fit in the larger 26" suitcase, you will only pay if they catch it.

Does that no go without saying?

You could fit a 32" tv diagonally in a 26" tv if you removed the original packaging. Don't forget your receipt, incase they find it.

So I would have to purchase both a 26 inch TV and a 32 inch TV so I could put the 32 inch TV into the 26 inch TV's box to try and pay a lower duty while hoping that the 32 inch TV, now with very little padding around it, might be damaged?

32" tv as a main tv is too small though, for me anyway.

The duty charged is ordinarily based upon a book that customs uses and not your invoice. It is possible that on any given day, they might use the invoice.
Once again, it will depend upon who is working, the phase of the moon, the airport you fly into, etc. at the time you carry anything in, sometimes you pay nothing, sometimes a little and sometimes a lot.
 
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NV_

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Aug 4, 2003
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You sure about the 32" tv in the 26" bag? Going to have to give that a try.... just cant picture it. Just gotta remember its a monitor, not a tv... lol
 

SKY

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The way to see if it fits is real simple. Measure the space in the suitcase and take a tape measure with you into the store and measure the TV that is the sample model.
 

drescape24

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Nov 2, 2011
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I brought in a 50" 1080p LED tv in January and west jet charged me nothing. Original box, I paid 11,000 pesos in duty. Had my receipt, knew I would be paying if they caught the tv, hard to hide that big of a box.
Bottom line, got the tv in my house for half price compared to a similar tv in Pricesmart.
Next is a stereo, that will fly by the customs radar though and I will pay nothing.

I flew United out of Newerk and they charged me for size and weight! A double charge! I was very very mad! I paid 12,000 pesos customs. The extra airfare killed any savings.
Glad to hear it worked for you!
 

17844

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Feb 2, 2013
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Two months ago I brought a 32" inch slim new Philips LCD in to PUJ from EWR with United. I left it in a box but wrapped in black shrink-wrap and bubble inside that for protection. I paid $280 for the TV online in the USA and no fee for the "bag" since I have enough status to bring it. Generally this tv counts as a normal bag size wise.

I was alone with two suitcases and this box. They pulled me into the x-ray line and yelled TV! I had prepared a reciept showing value of $180. I showed it to the guy and told him it was a gift for my father in law, and that I could bring gifts for $500 according to the form I signed on the flight.

I had forgot $40 inside the folded printed receipt somehow, silly me. The guy did just hand it back and started half-hartedly trying to open the shrink-wrap with his keys as a cutting device, but after continuing to bombard him for a minute with my arguments about gifts under $500 he shrugged his shoulders and asked me to go. He did not even seem to want the receipt for his files but I insisted he help me take the folded receipt to the trash... I know you guys probably think I contributed to building the wrong mentality, so sorry, I just had to do this once!
 

windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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Scary thing is, what would I do if it got stolen? First person I spoke with, claimed I was covered but the second person stated there was no coverage on tv's. Again, what if it arrived with a smashed screen? The woman I spoked to pretty much said relax, that wont happen, Westjet employees even handle the bags in POP.
Bottom line is that it worked like a charm.
Scares you when you keep hearing how peoples cologne is getting ripped off though.

If you purchased the TV (or anything else for that matter) with a credit card, some of them have insurance for a short period of time on breakage or other loss. Check with your credit card company on that.
 

mangla34

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Jul 2, 2012
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I carried a 24" in my carry-on for about 5 trips within 14 months to play my xbox at the hotel and never had a problem (on Delta, AA has a carry-on size limit). I now have an apartment and brought two 32" tv's in my luggage without a problem. I left one 32" tv in the box and checked it in with my luggage without a problem in October. However in July the 55" in the box was different. I misplaced the receipt that I told myself not to misplace. But they were cool in the tax office, I pulled the TV up on Bestbuy and she gave me the price of about $300 tax for a $800 Insignia tv. Thats' not including the extra bag and overweight fee of about $350 from Delta. A $850 tv including tax cost me $1500-1600 by the time I finished. I learned that same trip that it's best to buy anything over 50" (about $1200+) in Santiago at Price Smart and bring in anything below 32" because they start at about $500.