Fountain Pens on flights

Fountain pens should be cleaned and emptied prior to departure, as this is the only way to prevent ink leakage or spillage. If they must be used during flight, be sure to install a new ink cartridge or full converter. The general rule of thumb that applies to air travel with fountain pens is that it should either be completely empty, with no ink in the pen to leak out, or completely full, with no room left in the cartridge for air. A fountain pen full of ink is less likely to leak, as the presence of air in the cartridge or converter is what causes the ink to escape.