Fountain Pens On Airplanes

[rafizip]

I'm considering to begin taking fountain pens on my business trips. Any issues with the pressure and if so is there way to mitigate it?

[wimg]

Yes, you can.

 

There are a few fountain pens (CONID Bulkfillers, Waterman Edson, and any fountain pen with a sealable ink reservoir) which can be taken on board of an aeroplane without a problem.

 

If the fountain pens you want to take along are not in this group, you can either empty them completely, or fill them to the brim, and carry them in an upright position, nib pointing upwards.

 

HTH, warm regards, Wim

[cattar]

The only pens I've had a problem with are eyedroppers. Seems any pen that may leak in your bag or with an elevation change may leak on a plane.

In carryon, I've regularly had modern Platinums and Watermans without concern for ink level or position of the pen. I also use pens on the plane without a problem.

[fplover01]

I am not a frequent flyer (fly 3-4 times a year) but I have been taking fountain pens with me for a long time, never had any problems. Pens I have taken inlude various Pelikan piston fillers, Lamy Al-Star and Vista (cartridge) and Cross Century II (converter). I never had any problems and all those pens performed during flight as expected.

[Tojusi]

During the past 11 days I have been on four flights, with pens in following combinations and all at various levels of ink fill. This means that they were filled whenever, used normally and then got taken on the flight without regard to whether they are full, half full or empty...

 

4 flights: Kaweco Sport, cartridge

 

2 flights: Parker 51 aerometric

 

2 flights: vintage Conway Stewart lever filler

 

All pens were in the cabin, nib up, except I'm pretty sure that the Kaweco was horizontal on one climb. No leaks or any other issues.

 

(No issues on any other flights either, but for these most recent flights I actually remember which pens I was carrying.)

[Sasha Royale]

A modern fountain pen, carried nib-up, is not going to leak. Unless you are smuggling cursive-writing Gnomes in your suitcase, there is no need to carry an "inked" fountain pen in the luggage.

[arrScott]

I've never had a serious problem* flying with fountain pens. I do follow these rules, however.

 

1. I top off the ink before flight, to minimize air bubbles. Air bubbles are the source of any potential problem. Less air, less potential leakage.
2. I keep my pens nib-up for the duration of the experience, from the TSA gate until landing. If any ink is forced out, quantity of ink spill will be limited to what's in the feed, provided the pen is nib-up.
3. I minimize use of pens on the plane, and never, ever use or open a pen when we're ascending to cruising altitude or descending toward landing.

 

If you want to write while on board an airplane, well, that's what pencils, Fisher Space Pens, and Uni-ball Vision Elites are for.

 

*I don't regard a tiny bit of ink inside the cap as a serious problem. If you do, then maybe don't take pens on board airplanes at all. Twice, out of dozens of pens in my carry-on over the last few years, I've landed to find a tiny bit of ink inside the cap.

[brunico]

I minimize use of pens on the plane, and never, ever use or open a pen when we're ascending to cruising altitude or descending toward landing.

 

If you want to write while on board an airplane, well, that's what pencils, Fisher Space Pens, and Uni-ball Vision Elites are for.

 

I always used to start the crossword during take-off. With a fountain pen. An italic fountain pen. On newspaper.

 

The only problem was that I could never finish it.

 

[FeuBleu]

I just returned from a trip away involving four flights, and took two Kaweco Sports (raw Al and Brass) and also had a Fireblue Liliput in its leather pouch in my pencil case. Only the Al was in the cabin with me, whilst both the Brass and Fireblue pens were in my suitcase. All pens had cartridges that were around half full.

 

Both Sports had no issues to speak of, though I did use the Al during the flight which would have nulled the problem. I had no reason to pull out the Fireblue whilst away but did so yesterday, back home in my office, and discovered a splotch of violet ink upon the leather sleeve! The inside of the cap was full of dried ink, and the cartridge was empty. I had thought these screw lid pens rather bombproof even if the nibs did leak, yet the ink had tracked all the way down the threads and out onto the leather sleeve - thank goodness it was in its sleeve, inside a leather pencil case, rather than next to clothing.

 

Whilst both the Brass & the Liliput had the same size cartridge with similar amounts of air, I am wondering if air expansion in the smaller barrel size of the latter helped push out the ink to a larger degree; just conjecture though, since of course it would have had a smaller amount of air to start with than the Brass. Either way I think I'll pull the cartridges and seal with a healthy glob of Blu-tac before flying next time or just take one away with me that I'll use en-route!

[fountainflyer]

I fly 4-5 days a week and had 2 TWSBI Eco's filled to half level and a Lamy AL Star (also at half in a converter) at varying orientations in my bag and none of them had leaked.. I can see if the pens everyone else are carrying are completely full to the brim (i.e. a VAC700 with an over extended ink intake). So far.. so good though.

[Algester]

maybe some pen traveling tips forgive me if they are in japanese... source was a japanese catalog :X

http://i.imgur.com/Qggz2Hy.png

http://i.imgur.com/h5Qxgxf.jpg

talk about being thorough

[rafizip]

Wow - thanks all for the input!!! Some good, reoccurring tips that I will use. I'll give it a try next week on my next flight. I have a favorite Waterman Phileas that can use cartridges, so I may give that a try.

thanks again my friends.

[KenS]

I always take my Pilot 823 Custom when traveling.

Several flights (including non-pressurized small craft), never a problem.

[rafizip]

Well the inputs helped. Took a Jinhao and a Pilot on my trip with no issues. Thanks everyone.

[FayeV]

I have never had any fountain pen accidents on airplanes. Neither had my 10 year old with her fountain pens. We make sure to keep them upright during take off (putting the pen case in the seat pocket in front takes care of this). Writing on the plane (after it finishes ascending) had not been a problem. Ink level doesn't seem to matter.

[sharonspens]

Traveled with my Pilot Custom 74 and a vintage Sheaffer from Indianapolis to Phoenix and back, both filled when I left, and somewhat used upon return. Kept them (mostly) upright during the flight. The Sheaffer didn't leak a drop either way. The Pilot spilled ink into the cap on the trip out, which I didn't realize for a couple of days until I finally uncapped it.

 

Most of the time I don't have a problem flying with my pens, and I usually have 4-5 of them on me.

 

Sharon in Indiana

[rafizip]

After 4 flight segments the Jinhao 950 no issues but on the last segment the Pilot Metropolitan had a major leak, luckily I had wrapped it in a paper towel so it didn't make a mess. I forgot to put them in the seat pocket in an upright position for takeoff, which probably caused the leak. However the Jinhao didn't care.

[rudyhou]

from my experience, it's either fully loaded or none at all. that's the key to avoid a leakage when bringing a fountain pen while traveling somewhere. but it also helps if the pen is of a quality brand. the finer the nib size also helps to reduce the possibility of it to leak.