I recently went on a trip, and brought my VP. Knowing that it might leak, I brought a cartridge, and packed the pen and the cartridge (cartridge was with the pen, not in it) in a plastic baggie within a shaving kit in checked luggage. I never saw it again.

TSA left a card that my suitcase had been opened and inspected. I suppose it could have fallen out somewhere while unpacking, but I doubt it. Any thoughts on why TSA would confiscate a fountain pen and ink cartridge, besides that maybe the inspector liked fountain pens? It's quite disturbing as those pens aren't cheap, and liquids are allowed in checked luggage.

Sorry to hear that your Vanishing Point well....vanished (bad pun)

Is there a chance that it was taken out and put back somewhere else in your suitcase---perhaps in some inner pocket?----rather than inside the shaving kit?
It's a rather odd looking pen to steal (I have one myself) given its lack of a cap and its "click" mechanism....Perhaps they thought it was a weapon?
I know, I'm really reaching there, but would they have left a note if they confiscated something?
(note: I live in Canada and rarely deal with the TSA)

Could you tell me what TSA is? Sounds like customs...

I would hope that if TSA took what they suspected was a weapon from your baggage that they would have the common decency to tell you they did it. And of course, anyone with the intelligence of even a small primate would simply click the thing open and say "Aha, it's a pen! Funny looking, but harmless."

So, assuming it's not on the floor where you were packing and possibly dropped it and kicked it under the bed (happened to me once, although not with a pen), it is always possible that someone just decided they liked it, or inspected it and overlooked repacking it. I would look into making a claim with them. No idea how that would turn out, and I have a rather cynical view of our appointed guardians in any case (I'm Mr Negativity today, sorry), but who knows? Maybe I'm *too* cynical and you'll get it back, or at least compensated for it.

For the non US members, TSA is the Transportation Security Administration that came into existence at airports after 9/11. I kept thinking I left it on the floor, or put it somewhere else, but so far, no luck. I may look into filing a claim, but I suspect they have so much latitude, if they THINK it is suspicious, it's theirs!

Thanks, I see! I hope you get it back or find it... ^_^

I get those cards in my luggage fairly often. Considering that you can send tools, knives, and lots of other sharp pointy things in checked luggage, it is highly unlikely the pen was confiscated as a prohibited item under TSA rules. It may have been stolen, but I've come to accept the fact that some pens just decide to leave home on their own.

I had an experience with TSA and red Lamy Safari several years ago. The pen fell out of my planner at the xray machine. The screener picked it up, opened it, saw the pointed black "end", and his eyes got really big. He asked what it was, I told him a fountain pen, showed him that it wrote, and he let me go on through with it.

I'm sorry for your loss

I pack only easily replaceable pens when I travel because of the possible theft by TSA personnel and also for the loss of luggage itself.

Last year our son's luggage went missing when we went to Japan. It turned out that another passenger on the flight had an exactly the same Spiderman luggage and they took the wrong one. The airline didn't want to take any responsibility because they said it was the passenger's fault, and gave us the other passenger's number. I called the passenger and told them that if he could ship it to back to us and we'd do the same. The father said that our son's clothes are gone. They gave them away since they were too small for his son I sent his son's luggage back, though it was just dirty laundry. We never saw my son's luggage or clothes back <_<

I hope it will turn up between your clothes or in some pocket!

EDIT: the news article I linked is two-years old, so hopefully TSA has improved since then.

Last year, I "LOST" a pocket knife during a trip. It was in my checked baggage, and missing after the flight. I searched my bag several times, the knife was gone.

When I returned, to Norfolk, I spoke with the TSA supervisor. He was sceptical that any of his people would take anything, but promised to look into it. It seems that all luggage inspections are video'd. He took the date and flight number, promising to reveiw the tapes. I was satisfied right there.

When I got home and unpacked, the knife had lodged itself into the framework of the telescoping handle. I called the TSA supervisor with a profuse appology!

MORAL: They will investigate your loss!
Larry

as someone who travels quite often to and from the US, i know that the TSA and heightened airport security is a great necessity in these post-9/11 times, but it also basically means that we have to trust these people with everything in our luggage. (i use TSA-approved locks, but even these are fairly easy to open). having already lost a cellphone in my checked luggage (not in the US, though), i just never check anything valuable in with my luggage. i realize a pen could be theoretically disallowed on board if it had a lot of ink in it (although i've never had this problem, or have heard of any such incident), but i still carry all FPs on me, ready to de-ink them or to demonstrate them any time.... and btw, here in green bay (or was it milwaukee? my apologies to the wrong city), a TSA checker was recently caught filching some cash from a bag going throught the x-ray machine; not that this sort of thing never happened before the TSA, we're just more vulnerable now to (hopefully small-time) thievery. just another price to pay, i suppose, for everything else.

Generally when I fly, I'm flying for USFA and have my toolbox and electronic testers with me. The tools have to go checked, of course, but I always take my fountain pens and my electronic testbox on with me. They always get looked at and tested pretty heavily, but so far I've had no problems with them.

In general, when they check my toolbox they open it. This can cause some problems with the fact that some things have to go back in in a specific place for it all to close properly, but so far so good. I do loose a few small tools occasionally that probably fall out of the kit when the open it or don't make it back in, but for the most part it's been ok. A few years ago, though, I flew to Kansas City via Chicago, and for some strange reason the TSA is Chicago decided to check my toolbox again. Why? I don't know since it had been checked at my home airport in front of me. But, the end result was that anything in my toolbox that wasn't fencing specific didn't get to Kansas. All of my wrrenches and screwdrivers and etc were gone. I filed a claim against the loss to TSA for the $500 it cost me to replace all of that, but have not seen anything yet. I don't really expect to now.

kathy wc

Well, to be fair to TSA, I'm writing sheepishly to report that I found my VP. I think they did repack it in a place I didn't think of looking. Now I'm missing my pocket knife---but I won't blame TSA yet this time!!

I think the problem is they repack and small things can be hard to find if not in their original spot.

Just glad to hear that you got your VP back. I know what it can be like to loose a pen and I am glad that you were reunited. Other pens can always be purchased, but there is something special about "that" pen!

I guess I'll have to start traveling by trains to get back the feelings of yesterday's travel and use my fountain pens.

Congrats on finding your VP! By the way, when I travel by plane these days, I always ship the fountain pens I want to bring with me ahead of time by FedEx, and then ship them back home before I return.

Insurance coverage is limited to $100 on the FedEx Ground service, so I ship by FedEx Express, which covers the item up to the declared value (within certain limits, see: http://www.fedex.com/us/services/terms/us.html). With most modern pens, I don't worry as much about losing them, but I'd be devastated to lose a few of my vintage pens.

Also, I've recently updated my home insurance coverage to include a "personal articles policy" (also known as "riders") to include my pens. This is the same type of policy that covers the loss/theft/destruction of jewelry, silverware, artwork, computers, and so forth.

I know it seems a bit much, but it helps me sleep at night.

I knew it!
Glad you found your VP, and thanks for the update!

I have never had a problem travelling with my pens in my briefcase. I normally keep one clipped to my pocket as well. Usually, along with my glasses, phone, and coins -- I usually throw it inside one of my shoes for a trip on the screening belt.

I have a pen knife that has been with me for years (sentimental value) that has cost me many times the pen's (retail) worth. Through the excitement of trips to and through the airport, I've forgotten to throw it in my checked bag(s). The pen has taken at least four overnight trips to either my destination or back home.

As for TSAs, my only rant is the luggage pockets they forget to zip back up and the one-time prying-off the battery compartment on my travel radio (dinging it up). Nothing is more fun than playing "hide and seek" with the small items now scattered about your suitcase.

Cheers (and safe travels!),

Paul