Heading out for a quick trip and want to take your various writing tools along but simultaneously can’tcan’t help to wonder whether do highlighters explode on planes? Today’s article will assess the likelihood and if highlighters explode on planes is a phenomenon likely or unlikely to happen in a flight.
People traveling long flights often carry their favorite brand, Sharpie’s highlighters, along to keep themselves entertained and occupied during flights. However, for some travelers, this entertainment comes accompanied by the concern of the highlighter’s ink exploding and leaking onto all other pencils and pens.
Your concern is valid and justified because no one would want their highlighters to explode mid-flight and create an unnecessary and uncalled-for scene. So let’s address your query- do highlighters explode on planes?
Do Highlighters Explode On Planes?
Highlighters are out of one of those items that can be conveniently purchased for replacements at any destination. Nevertheless, some people still take their highlighters along as they seek comfort in their highlighter’s precise pink/ yellow/ green color.
After having analyzed every traveler’s response who has ever been on board with a highlighter in their carry-on or checked luggage, we are glad to declare that highlighter explosions in planes do not occur as no passenger has ever reported having been through or witnessed a leak of a highlighter due to pressure. 
It does not matter if you carry an individual highlighter casually or have it placed within layers of your clothes in your bag; to endure and withstand a highlighter explosion is very unlikely to be experienced.
Preventing A Highlighter Explosion:
Even though we have explicitly and confidently stated that your highlighter will not explode during your flight, it is okay if you are still unconvinced and confused.
We can propose an additional step that you can undertake willingly to ensure the safety of your highlighter, considering you are unaware of when the highlighter might break or crack.
To guard your highlighter against its ink explosion, buy a cheap ziplock bag, put it into the snack-sized bag, and then place it in your purse or carry-on bag.
Supposedly, even if the highlighter, through some unfortunate event, suffers a leak or explodes, the ink will be confined only to the premises of the ziplock bag and not proceed beyond it.
So far, there have been no leaks or explosions of a highlighter, but if you still cannot help but worry about your highlighter before boarding a flight, a ziplock bag is your go-to!
Writing Utensils That Explode On Plane:
Now that a highlighter’s explosion is sorted, when carrying other writing utensils, such as pens, pencils, and markers, you should be concerned about them leaking or exploding on the plane.
The last item should be a ballpoint pen on the list of troublesome objects in the plane. This is because it is the safest pen to use during a flight, and passengers flying with a ballpoint pen over the years personally attest to our stated testimonial.
Even TSA would not mind you carrying a ballpoint pen, and with it by your side, we can assure you that you will not be running into any type of trouble as you are on your way to take a plane to your dream destination.
Cause Of Concern- Fountain Pen:
On the other hand, a cause of concern for you must be the fountain pen you have packed in your checked luggage or placed in your carry-on bag, as they are the most prone to leaking through the nib creep.
While taking any long or short-distance travel with a fountain pen, you would want to make sure that the pen contains no air bubbles in it as the presence of bubbles pushes up the ink in the feed, causing a drastic and dramatic leak.
Prevent the fountain pen from leaking by following the stated measures below:
- Before you get seated in the plane, try to fill the cartridge of your fountain pen or just go ahead with carrying an empty and inkless pen. With a fountain pen on board, the safest way to play is by monitoring the ink levels in the pen.
- You can also minimize any pending leaks of a fountain pen by traveling with the pen’s nib always facing upward. Clip the pen to the sleeve or pocket of your shirt or place it in the back of the seat in front of you.
- Placing the pen in a ziplock bag protects a fountain pen from leaking ink. Through this measure, the chances of the ink staining your belongings are very minimal.
- Use the pen during the flight at any time; however, it is a good idea not to use the fountain pen when the plane is landing or taking off because, at that moment, the surrounding air pressure is uncertain. You can never be too sure about how it will affect the ink components or whether it will result in an ink leak or not.
- Fill the pen with ink when you are at cruising altitude and empty the cartridge when descending so that the rapidly fluctuating altitude changes do not become problematic.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS):
Can you take a highlighter on a plane?
Yes, all plane passengers are permitted to take highlighters with them.
Do pens leak on planes?
Though not all pens leak on planes some do. The fountain pen is a primary and very prominent example of a pen leaking on a plane.
Will Sharpies leak on a plane?
No problem with a Sharpie highlighter on a plane, which remains unaffected by the air pressure and altitude.
Do gel pens count as liquid on planes?
Since the gel is contained inside the pen and not separately, gel pens do not count as a liquid on planes.
