Has Anyone Ever Flown Carry-On Only & Had An Inky Accident?

[inkyelbows]

I recently went for an entire week WITHOUT ANY FOUNTAIN PENS, which I found much more difficult than I expected. Scratchy hotel ballpoints, ICK.

 

Reason: I was on a book tour and was flying carry-on only without only two outfits, and was paranoid about an inky accident that would wreck at last one of my outfits. I only had two for the whole trip (needed them both) and there was no time to do any washing since I had to fly to a new state every day.

 

BUT I REALLY MISSED MY FOUNTAIN PENS.

I don't want to go through that kind of Horror again so am asking you all if you think I was being paranoid. I know there are ways of flying with pens to make sure they don't leak and I have flown a couple times that way: making sure the pens are filled up, that I keep them nib up in my seat pocket etc. But I've found that on book tours I'm often having to pack up in a super-rush from a school before heading to the airport and just barely making the flight. There is not enough time to do much finessing with fountain pens.

 

So my question is this, to those of you who do a lot of flying with carry-on only: do you worry at all about inky accidents? Do you have a routine to help make sure your pens don't leak?

 

Any advice appreciated, thanks.

 

Debbie

[Joane]

Speaking from personal experience, on two occasions I flew with fountain pens and ink bottles, completely forgetting to take any precautions. They were filled at various levels. I don't know what type of pen you use but I was carrying relatively modern-day pens. On one flight I had an Aurora and a Parker Duofold plus ink bottle and on another flight a Duofold again and a MB 145 and a bottle of MB Royal Blue. Result: nothing happened. Only afterward did it occur to me that I had forgotten to empty the pens but all of those pens plus the ink bottles came through with "flying" colours.

Edited June 22, 2017 by Joane

[kestrel]

I usually travel with several fountain pens of varying ages from early twentieth century to recent manufacture. I do always keep them nib up during takeoff and climb to cruising altitude when the pressure is gradually decreasing. Most of the time they are in a pen wrap that I slip into the pocket on the seat in front of me for the first part of the flight. I don't worry about how full they are although they are usually topped off on the outbound leg. I have never had any kind of an incident that damaged my pen wrap or my shirt. The one leaker I had was a retractable gel pen whose point got extended during the boarding process and trashed a shirt. White, of course. The Conklin Crescent next to it in my pocket, the one manufactured when Eddie Rickenbacker was flying Sopwith Camels in France, was perfectly behaved.

[Newjelan]

I fly international regularly with carry-on only and always have a few fountain pens on me. I don't use them on the plane because I prefer to read when flying. In 40+ trips the only problem I've ever had was on one occasion a small amount of ink leaked into the cap of one of my pens. (I noticed it when I uncapped it at my destination). It was a trivial amount and I don't recall what pen as I travel with different ones all the time. My pens are typically in a couple of pen pouches in my handbag and probably lying flat. Usually, but not always, they're full or nearly full.

[DrDebG]

I fly all the time with just a carry on. Regardless, all of my fountain pens go into my fountain pen case which goes in my carry on. I have only had one small with slight leak - leaded a small bit of ink in the cap. I haven't had any major accidents, though.

[mhguda]

Nothing major, but yes sometimes one of them will leak into the cap and you discover it when you uncap. I sometimes fill out forms on the flight and that has happened, so I usually have a paper tissue to clean up, and I'm cautious when uncapping. That said, my pens travel in my purse, which will be oriented in several directions so they are not always nib up. And almost never full - I prefer eyedroppers.

So if I'm worried about a particular pen, it goes into a ziplock baggie and then into my purse... I don't put them in my carry-on though. More because I worry about their getting banged around (sometimes the airline will want to put the carry-on in the hold and I find out when boarding.). (small planes, inter-island flights.)

[Tinjapan]

@Kestrel

 

You have vintage Conklin Crescents too!? They remain my favorites. Great to know they fly well.

 

I flew twice with my Visconti D,essai and a Visconti ink pot. Neither leaked.

[Flaxmoore]

Never had a problem here, Detroit or Columbus to Tampa or Orlando. Most of the time I'm leaving straight from work, and thus have 4 on me. My Kaweco Sport is always in my pocket, and never lost a drop despite just riding in my pocket. The Metro and others also have never leaked. Worst I've ever had was about 1 drop around the rim of the converter in a Kakuno, but that may have been sloppy filling.

[Sasha Royale]

Hello, Debbie !

 

A fountain pen is late 19th Century technology, from a chauvinist culture. Travel was steamship or railroad. A gentleman carried the pen in shirt or coat pocket, hence the "pocket" clip. The "lady's" pen lovingly bore a cap ring, and was worn like a pendant. Thus, the resting pen is always nib-up.

 

But, your habit is to pack your pen in carry-on luggage ? I offer : If you use your fountain in the book-signing sessions, would you consider a cartridge fountain pen ? Could you discard the installed cartridge before boarding, installing a fresh cartridge upon arrival ?

[goodpens]

 

Reason: I was on a book tour

 

 

Hi Debbie,

 

What's your book? I'm always looking for good new reads and I'd enjoy trying one from someone in this community.

 

I haven't had in-flight problems. (Though I sometimes have issues driving up to my high-altitude home.) I just got back from three flights with a Pilot Vanishing Point and a Lamy Safari in my carry-on. I didn't use them on while flying, but I didn't have any leak issues. I think the advice posted earlier to err on the side of contemporary, not vintage, pens is good. If you're really concerned, carry the pens in a zip-lock plastic bag and open it only when you get to your hotel or home.

 

Happy travels.

[Sailor Kenshin]

I recently went for an entire week WITHOUT ANY FOUNTAIN PENS, which I found much more difficult than I expected. Scratchy hotel ballpoints, ICK.

 

Reason: I was on a book tour and was flying carry-on only without only two outfits, and was paranoid about an inky accident that would wreck at last one of my outfits. I only had two for the whole trip (needed them both) and there was no time to do any washing since I had to fly to a new state every day.

 

BUT I REALLY MISSED MY FOUNTAIN PENS.

I don't want to go through that kind of Horror again so am asking you all if you think I was being paranoid. I know there are ways of flying with pens to make sure they don't leak and I have flown a couple times that way: making sure the pens are filled up, that I keep them nib up in my seat pocket etc. But I've found that on book tours I'm often having to pack up in a super-rush from a school before heading to the airport and just barely making the flight. There is not enough time to do much finessing with fountain pens.

 

So my question is this, to those of you who do a lot of flying with carry-on only: do you worry at all about inky accidents? Do you have a routine to help make sure your pens don't leak?

 

Any advice appreciated, thanks.

 

Debbie

I haven't done this, so bear in mind I'm talkin' through my hat, but double-zip bag your writing gear? Especially if packed in with clothing.

 

This from someone who just managed to get deep gray stick eyeshadow all over a pair of khaki shorts.

[Mech-for-i]

let me recite my experience. I used to need to do many business travel like in said case as OP puts it. My usual setup would be a carry on luggage bag / suite case and a ( small ) hand carry bag , usually one that allow me to put my important stuff in there like documents and so. I used to take along 2 or 3 pens and a couple bottle of ink ( if I am on long trip and knowing I cannot get hold of ink interim ) but usually I have no need whatsoever to actually carry the ink as a pen filled up usually give enough duration. These days its even harder as air security sees any liquid of any form a potential hazard. My take on the matter is to load up my pen wrap ( which hold 5 pen , +1 addition on the closure if needed ) with at least a couple ED / piston filler ( which holds astonishing large amount of ink ). There is restriction about carrying liquid but there is no restriction about how many pen one can carry.

 

That said I've found that ink is actually not that hard to get hold of anyway. Hotel staff can quickly point to a local stationary supply if needed to and the nominal ones are usually on supply. In any case I do not put a filled pen nor ink inside the carry on ( or checked ) suite case / bag. always carry it in the accompanying bag / briefcase

Edited June 22, 2017 by Mech-for-i

[sunlance]

Just flew from the (US) East Coast to the West Coast and back again in the last week, and carried-on a ~1/3rd full Platinum Cool fountain pen which was stowed lengthwise (i.e. not nib-up). As a precaution, I carried it in a Ziploc bag, but it turned out to be totally unnecessary -- not a drop of ink got anywhere outside the pen!

[ErrantSmudge]

I don't travel often, but my preferred solution would be to carry cartridges, and empty pen before boarding the plane for outgoing and return trips.

[Chrissy]

I just returned home from Florida with my new pen, filled with ink, in my bag. It had some ink around the converter when I arrived home, but not a problem.

[Aelie]

My frequent flyer account shows that I have taken 10 round trips last two years. In every single one of those trips I have taken my Pilot Prera with me (often in my pants pocket), and I have yet to have an inky accident with those pens. A drop or two in the cap, sure, but nothing more than what I might find after I fill a pen from a bottle. I like to change my ink colors often, so I use those 5 mL sample vials for carrying my spare inks.

 

The catch is that I don't write while flying, so the pens are typically either horizontal or nib up. One time I did try to write while on a plane was with an Eversharp Skyline, and that pen did burp quite a bit during the ascent. On the return flight, I made sure to keep the same pen nib up during the ascent, and I did not have an issue. I made sure to get an aisle seat just in case I needed to run to the plane bathroom for paper towels though!

[VivienR]

Recently fly a lot. My only "serious" leakage was with a Herbin bottle. But it was in a zip-lock bag in check-in bag. I have a Visconti Traveling Inkwell, once it has a minor barely noticeable leak.

[senzen]

I've traveled with almost all my pens, without issue, if I didn't want to worry I´d take my m400 and pro gear, which have screw in caps, and also seem to last longer / evaporate less. The burpers, pilot penmanship and kaweco sport woud stay at home for sure.

[inkyelbows]

Hi Sasha,

 

I have seen some women wear their fountain pens like a necklace, with a clip and chain. I keep meaning to look into that!

 

No, I don't use a fountain pen for signings - I use a Sharpie. Reason: I usually have to do my signing pretty quickly, and the books are often shut very soon after I sign them (so ink would not have much time to dry). I had to sign 500 books for one of the bookstores! They were pre-orders, and I only had about an hour. I ended up not being able to finish before I had to leave for the next school, so finished them up when I arrived at the school before kids came into the auditorium. Here's a photo of me signing at the bookstore:

 

 

Any fountain pens I brought with me would be purely for my own note-taking etc.

 

Thanks for the advice!

 

Debbie

 

Hello, Debbie !

 

A fountain pen is late 19th Century technology, from a chauvinist culture. Travel was steamship or railroad. A gentleman carried the pen in shirt or coat pocket, hence the "pocket" clip. The "lady's" pen lovingly bore a cap ring, and was worn like a pendant. Thus, the resting pen is always nib-up.

 

But, your habit is to pack your pen in carry-on luggage ? I offer : If you use your fountain in the book-signing sessions, would you consider a cartridge fountain pen ? Could you discard the installed cartridge before boarding, installing a fresh cartridge upon arrival ?

[inkyelbows]

Joane, Kestrel, Newjelan, DrPenfection, mhguda, Tinjapan, Flaxmoore, Sasha, goodpens, Sailor, Mech-for-i, sunlance, ErrantSmudge, Chrissy, Aelie, VivienR, pseudo88 and others who have replied: THANK YOU so much for your input and advice!

 

It sounds as if I'm being overly paranoid. Your advice has bolstered my confidence and next time, I am going to take a fountain pen or two!

 

Thanks for the advice re: putting a ziplock bag etc. - I do try doing this when I am on normal trips, but I find things can get super-chaotic when I'm on a book tour, especially if things are running late, and I am often literally throwing stuff into my carry-on at the end of a school visit (and this is often while teachers and students are still talking to me, so I am only able to half-pay-attention to my packing), hurrying to the airport to catch my flight; I try to (if there are a few extra precious minutes) rearrange my luggage on the floor of the airport lobby once I get there, but sometimes there is not enough time. [Edited: Though hm, maybe I can just make a point of KEEPING the pen always in a ziploc bag except when I'm using it.]

 

To Goodpens: The book tour was for SEA MONKEY & BOB, a picture book written by Aaron Reynolds and illustrated by me, published by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers. If you're curious, you can read my book tour report here. I have three more picture books coming out later this year: SAM & EVA written & illustrated by me (SImon & Schuster Books For Young Readers), RUBY ROSE, BIG BRAVOS written by Rob Sanders and illustrated by me (HarperCollins Children's Books) and MITZI TULANE, PRESCHOOL DETECTIVE in THE SECRET INGREDIENT written by Lauren McLaughlin and illustrated by me (Random House Children's Books). If you'd like, you can see the covers and find out more info on my website. :-)

 

Thanks again for all the feedback! I really appreciate it.

 

Debbie