How to Fly with a Fountain Pen

The 21st Century has many solutions.

This is what I got when I looked for a photo featuring a person and a plane, and that I could use online with full releases since I pay for membership with Scop.io. | Photo by Jeremy Walton on Scopio

I’m a bit OCD. When I travel, I like to make sure I have pens I will enjoy. That means fountain pens. Plural. It also means having to keep in mind how I’m traveling. This is where things can get complicated.

Once upon a time, eyedropper fountain pens were the norm. Even when pens with an “ink sack” inside replaced some eyedroppers, both retained the same issue: leakage, especially on airplanes. Even most modern fountain pens will have this problem.

Of course, if one uses a fountain pen that’s designed for cartridge use, this isn’t a big deal. You buy a box of cartridges, you remove the one in the pen before flight and pop in a new one either up in the air or when you land. I’ve done this and indeed I usually bring a cartridge or two with me when I fly so I can refill my Pilot or my Conklin or what have you. There’s a big “but” in the way though: I’m trying to use less disposable plastic.

What then are the alternatives to cartridges?

Vacuum Fillers

The TWSBI Vac 700R, picture from the Goulet Pens listing.

The obvious choice is the vacuum filler mechanism. This type of pen is designed…