Fountain Pens And Airport Security.

[Chrissy]

Never a problem carrying a fountain pen, but once I did have my sample vial of ink confiscated from my bag of liquids and gels because it "wasn't for use on the body". I was tempted to do a little tattoo right there and then but thought better of it. Oddly enough this was a small prairie airport - large international airports have never batted an eye at my ink samples.

 

I always take a bubble mailer to the airport with me in case I have to mail small stuff like this back to my home address.

[VivienR]

 

Well, Turkish uses the Latin alphabet, so it might be a little less suspicious.

 

That said, I'm a developer as well... Now you got me worried about writing code on a flight... Argh!

 

True, its less suspicious, but speaking it, well that's an another ballgame....

Oh, forgot to mention, do not write code and play flight simulator... Or simply: don't write your flight simulator extensions in flight, or before flight.

 

Funny how many of us software developers use fountain pens.

 

Surprisingly. Although in the whole developer community, I'm sure our percentage are still low.

[Dragonmaster Lou]

True, its less suspicious, but speaking it, well that's an another ballgame....

Oh, forgot to mention, do not write code and play flight simulator... Or simply: don't write your flight simulator extensions in flight, or before flight.

 

Heh, I don't think I've ever listened to Turkish being spoken... but then again, any foreign language may be viewed with suspicion. I'm sure I may get some odd looks if I ever speak Portuguese outside my local area (which happens to have a significant Portuguese immigrant population).

 

My laptop is too underpowered to run a flight simulator, lol, but I have thought about it a few times... Maybe I should reconsider...

 

Surprisingly. Although in the whole developer community, I'm sure our percentage are still low.

 

Well, there is a hardware developer in my office who always has a pocket full of very nice pens, including at least one Pelikan and one Mont Blanc, although I'm not sure if they are fountains. There is also another developer who looks like he has a Lamy in his pocket, but again, not sure if it's a fountain pen or not.

[Monbla]

Back when I was working, I flew all around the US to job sites and always carried at least 2 fountain pens in my shirt pocket and sometimes a bottle of ink in my briefcase. I always filled them before I left and had them nib up clipped in my pocket. Never had any problems and after the plane leveled off I pulled one out and made notes for my work. Never had any problems with security either as I could pull the pens, which could be seen in my shirt pocket, out and let them look at them. I would NEVER put them in checked baggage as that sometimes takes a different flight to another part of the US !!

[pompa]

If the x-ray operator is inexperienced he/she may not know what it is and will perhaps want to open the bag to have a look. I have worked in airport security and I can tell you that people bring such a vide variety of things in their hand luggage that sometimes you just have to take a look in order to learn. The next time you see it you know what it is and don't have to open the bag...

 

Here are some photos of how fountain pens look on the screen for an x-ray operator.

Orange is organic, blue is metal and green plastics & minerals. In general that is, the colouring is done by the computer software, so the interpretation is not 100% and there can be some overlap in blue/green.

Darker colour means higher density, which means that when you're being told that you have a bottle inside your bag, don't reply "it's empty".

 

Anyway, here's a Lamy Safari, a MB 149 and a pair of Pelikan 400NN with a Pilot VP.

[PaperDarts]

I always take a bubble mailer to the airport with me in case I have to mail small stuff like this back to my home address.

That's a great idea. On one occasion I had to run all over Heathrow looking for an envelope in which to mail my travel companion's expensive manicure scissors home. When I finally got it organized, the security officer directed me to the mailbox...which was well beyond the security exit.

I'm going to add a bubble mailer to my next packing list!

[BlueSquiggle]

I've only ever had security look at my pens once. I had a two pen pouch with a MB Faulkner and Warhol and they were only interested in the Warhol because of (I assume) the long thick metal cap. They were happy once they got to unscrew it, although I think they may have been slightly perplexed by the very light pen that came out of the the very very heavy cap!

[Sasha Royale]

TSA might ask to see the items that show these shapes. However, fountain pens have never given any trouble at airport security, nor courthouse security, nor public building.

[Flippy]

Hi!

 

Anyway, this is just my theory, but when you travel to Seoul, be careful about guards. (Don't blame me, I'm Korean.) They are careful about fountain pens, and even ballpoints. I was carrying a Cross Classic Century Medalist and a Platinum 3776# Century when a guard motioned me to give me them. She examined them with great care (Something I admire, they always know to be careful with quality items.) I was so worried they would take them away, when she handed them back to me carefully.

 

Yeah, airport security in Korea is careful.

[katanankes]

Live report from Charles De Gaulle... no problem carrying 40 plus pens. However security stopped me and inspected my baggage because I was carrying the Visconti Alchemy inkwell! It is a big chunk of crystal and it would appear as some sort of machine in the x-ray scan. They checked all of my fountain pen related items and then let me go.

 

I really wish none ever think of going amok on a plane using a tactical pen, then I would imagine all pens be banned.

[senzen]

I've had no problems but at some point the security agencies will hire a social media specialist and we will all be tagged as belonging to a sect and carrying sharp objects with us...

[Bill]

Close to a half million miles in the air since 2010 with various FPs and the only incident was at a major German airport where a security agent disassembled my well-traveled Bexley Poseidon White Tea. He liked it. Dunno if he was comparing it to a Montblanc or a Pelikan ;-)

[bluebellrose]

I have had no trouble getting fountain pens onto airplanes, but on a recent trip I made the mistake of using a fountain pen to fill out my customs declaration. My normally dry-writing Kaweco Sport made quite the sloppy mess on my form, causing the officer at my point of entry to look at me with marked displeasure.

necro posting but um https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/249462-platinum-standard-black/

[DrDebG]

I carry FPs with me all the time and I travel internationally many times a year. I have never had any incidents with security. Once I had a TSA agent ask me about them simply because she was curious. I also generally do not carry ink samples or bottled ink. I would rather deal with the cartridges. I usually bring 12-18 cartridges with me on a trip and have not had any problem.

[overwriter]

Never an issue with a pen but once at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow they confiscated my Visconti Ink Pot. That was a long time (maybe 10 years) ago.

[Samhoward]

They are still safe to carry in your checked baggage. Fountain pens are not regarded as a serious enough risk to require prohibition, even though they occasionally leak and explode while on board.

[txomsy]

10 hours ago, Samhoward said:

even though they occasionally leak and explode while on board

First notice I ever get of an FP exploding.

[RedPie]

It is a 5 year old post. At this time, I travel a lot with fountain pens and never had an issue, what so ever. Not trough metal detectors or in carry on luggage.

[Penguincollector]

Eh, I have a regimen for flying where I buy a disposable fp in a new color for every flight to my destination. If I buy a pen on my trip it stays empty until I get home. 

[SLinkster]

On 10/10/2016 at 4:13 PM, katanankes said:

I really wish none ever think of going amok on a plane using a tactical pen, then I would imagine all pens be banned.

 

Knitters were incredibly irate for a long time, as even though knitting needles are (possibly not always were, however) on the permitted carry-on list, security agents would confiscate them or insist they be transferred to checked bags or whatever. One trip, (after two connecting flights and 19 hours of uptime) when an agent asked me to surrender my knitting needles, I foolishly observed that my (brass barreled, steel-nibbed) fountain pen could do more damage than my 2mm bamboo "sock pins". Not only did I have to give up the knitting needles, I never saw the pen again either. Its probably a wonder I wasn't pulled out for a cavity search.

 

Lesson learned. Now I carry no knitting and no writing utensils when I have to fly.