Nibs Up in the Airplane

My IG handle @flygirlelliott receives questions all the time about carrying fountain pens on an airplane. Here is my answer…everyday, every trip, I have my fountain pens with me. I sign all my flight releases with a fountain pen and I love introducing my flying partners to the fun of writing with fountain pens. In fact, part of my packing routine includes choosing my pens for each trip. I always bring 7 or 11 pens with me, depending on which pens are inked and my mood, of course!

People ask me all the time if they leak and I always say Nibs Up in the Airplane and you shouldn’t have any trouble. Only a few times has a pen leaked into the cap and I have been able to clean the nib and wash out the cap.

My job as an airline pilot is typically very left-brained and technical and procedure-oriented in the cockpit. Where I get to enjoy being creative at work is in the way I connect with my crew. A fun part of that is sharing my passion of fine writing instruments. Some of my most fun moments include giving a LAMY Rose Gold AL-Star to a crew member who remembered the joy of writing with a fountain pen from her childhood and inspiring a few co-pilots to buy fountain pens for themselves and even their children.