Bringing my 27"iMac as carry-on luggage on plane

Question

Hello everyone!!!!
I know that if you see this topic you think "whaaaaaaaat????!!??"
But this is the problem: I'm moving from Italy to USA and I have to bring my 27" Imac with me .
I know that a macbook would be easier to carry, but I bought the IMac 27" for professional needs. And I love it as my own child so thinking about selling it makes me sick
So I've been searching for solutions since weeks, and these are the responses:
-Shipping it with UPS or similars costs more then 400€....too much. I have to discard this option
-Putting it in a solid checked bag wrapped in protective foam,pillows and so on : high risk of stealing and damage
-Cargo services from Airlines: they don't do it for personal items...and i think troubles would be same as above
-Buying an Ilugger or this italian bag
  http://www.macshop.it/accessori-mac/borse-per-il-trasporto-1/crumar-bag-per-imac -27-and-ampldquo-black-.html
  and then bring it on plane as a carried-on bag. Ok I know that it's bigger then requested standards. I'm flying with DELTA and their size limit is 115cm total (I'm lucky, no problems about weight) . the bag is about 52x65x20cm. But they are supposed to be more tolerant since it's not a low-cost company. And of course I will have to ask to place it in a special compartment instead of above-head storage.
This solution was also suggested to me by an American Airlines check-in employee at Fiumicino. He said : " Don't worry and bring it as a carry-on, people brings a lot of strange big instruments with them with no problems.Absolutely don't put it in a checked luggage, cause it will be stolen for sure!"
But he was an italian "take it easy" kind of guy, so he was taking for granted something that cannot be sure at 100%
My main concern is: would it fit to the security scan at the airport?cause the main risk is that security officers will give me troubles about this.
So my questions are:
-did someone made it to bring it on plane as a carried-on bag? Cause I've seen a lot of forum topic talking about this
-does anyone knows a better solution for my case? (apart from selling it and buying a new one in US...considering also the fact that I may return to Italy within a year and have same trouble on the opposite way...and anyway I love mine and don't want to replace it)
thanks
bye!

Answer 1

Silvia, Buongiorno ..
How did you go with this?
Just one man's opinion:
(1) You can easily buy a flight case for a 27" iMac. Google. Every single working photographer, film crew, rock band, etc, uses these every day.  These are used every day by photographers, etc, to send their iMac 27 in an airplane as checked luggage.  This is completely normal and you can buy one immediately.
BUT it is VERY EXPENSIVE. €500 for the case and €500++ extra for the extra luggage.  AND MOST IMPORTANTLY ................ THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO GUARANTEE it won't get smashed.  Any working photographer will tell you "yeah they often get smashed".  It's really only a professional solution where noney is no object and you have professional production insurance.
(2) You could simply SHIP IT, for example with UPS or Collissimo or whoever.  JUST USE THE ORIGINAL PACKING BOX / MATERIAL.This is exactly how the iMac came from China to Italy originally. Insure it properly.  This will be pretty expensive and probably your best option.
(3) I agree with you totally:  REMOVE the rear leg, and then put the iMac in the smallest/thinnest bag possible. (Put the keyboard and everything else in your checked luggage.)  You and your wife / etc .. don't take ANY OTHER CARRYON LUGGAGE AT ALL, not even a handbag.
They will take pity on you since it is your ONLY carryon luggage. IMO you should be OK.
You know, we landed at Malpensa once with very expensive "indestructible" Rimowa metal cases.
The ground handlers completely destroyed one of the Rimowas!!!!!!  (Fortunately there was nothing fragile inside, so nothing inside was damaged.)  The airline very generously completely replaced the extremely expensive case, but if any machine had been inside it would have been toast and no insurance.  Again the important point is .... ANY PROFESSIONAL WILL TELL YOU flight cases get destroyed all the time. If you take course "1" it is very expensive, AND, there is NO guarantee at all your computer will arrive.
With option "2" there is no more or less risk than option "1", and option "2" is tremendously cheaper.
In option "2" a flight case WILL NOT PARTICULARLY HELP YOU. Fedex/etc is completely used to moving the type of box that an iMac comes in.  Don't forget, ALMOST EVERY iMAC PURCHASED, IS DELIVERED BY UPS or Fedex!!!!
Every single iMac bought from the apple.com online store, travels the last 1000 km with Collissimo, Fedex or whoever. They are not total idiots. They obviously deliver those sort of things every day. So it is pointless adding  a flight case (€500 !!) to option 2.
But really for me your best option is to fake it as carryon luggage.  Remove the stand as you say.  And do the trick of you and your family, have NO other carryon.  Explain you are a working photographer or whatever and it is your instrument, and just place it carefully in the overhead bins.  You should be fine, I'd say.
FINALLY: in fact are you shipping your furniture to the USA???  if so ....... just include it. Use the original iMac box.  Put it - say - on the sofa cushions, tied down.  Of course, then you will be without your computer for a month or so.
BTW what's with these peope saying "sell your computer"?!  I would never sell a Mac, too emotionally attached!  Good luck!