The Transportation Security Agency (TSA) continues to confiscate firearms at security screening points. That statement should shock, yet in 2022, it hardly causes a ripple on the surface of life. Who is trying to bring firearms onto flights in the United States – apparently thousands of you. So let us say straight up, please stop trying to bring your firearm onto an airplane and put it in your checked baggage in an appropriate manner (we’ll provide that info below).
The New York Times tells us that so far in 2022, TSA have discovered more than 4,600 firearms at airport checkpoints, of those about 87 percent were loaded (that is ~4,000 loaded weapons at the security checkpoints).
In all of 2021, 5,972 firearms were seized at checkpoints as part of the airport security protocol. Now think about this, 2021 was a down travel year due to COVID, yet the number of guns caught by TSA was a spike over that seized in 2019 (pre-pandemic) which was 4,432, and now 2022 has already eclipsed the pre-pandemic number of firearms seized in 2019.
Rank | Airport (Code) | Total |
---|---|---|
1 | Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) | 507 |
2 | Dallas/Forth Worth International Airport (DFW) | 317 |
3 | Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) | 245 |
4 | Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) | 196 |
5 | Nashville International Airport (BNA) | 163 |
6 | Denver International Airport (DEN) | 141 |
7 | Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) | 128 |
8 | Orlando International Airport (MCO) | 124 |
9 | Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY) | 119 |
10 | Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) | 115 |
What happens to these yokels?
While there are no federal criminal penalty for passengers caught with a gun at a checkpoint, the TSA may impose a civil fine up to approximately $14,000 and cause the individual to lose their TSA PRE privileges (if they have such) for a period of time.
On October 09, TSA at LaGuardia Airport confiscated a 9mm handgun, loaded with ten bullets. The man told the authorities he forget he had the loaded gun with him. “This individual told us that he forgot that he did not realize that his loaded gun was with him,” said Robert Duffy, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “That’s no excuse, and this man is now likely to receive a civil financial penalty that could possibly cost him thousands of dollars. Responsible gun owners know where their firearm is at all times.”
The week prior, on October 4, TSA at Reagan Washington National Airport confiscated a .380 caliber gun, loaded with six bullets and an additional magazine with five more bullets. The woman said, she forgot she had the loaded gun with her. “This was the 24th gun that our officers have prevented from being carried onto a flight in 2022,” said John Busch, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “Everyone who travels should appreciate the amazing work our TSA officers do every day, keeping dangerous items off the aircraft. I am very proud of them and their continued focus on our mission. If someone wants to transport their firearm on a flight, they certainly can, as long as it is unloaded, packed in a locked hard-sided case and declared as checked baggage with the airline as described on the TSA website. The airline representative will make sure the gun is transported in the belly of the airplane where nobody has access to it during the flight.”
The right way to travel with firearms
TSA advises, “travelers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are properly packaged and declared at their airline ticket counter. Firearms must be unloaded, packed in a hard-sided locked case, and packed separately from ammunition. Then the locked case should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared.” For full TSA guidance on traveling with firearms, click here. If you still have questions, reach out to TSA Customer Service directly, our experience is that they respond in a timely manner with direct and unambiguous answers.
Here are a three TSA approved carrying cases which may be used to put your firearm (be it a handgun or rifle) as checked baggage – the links will take you to Amazon.
Why the hell is this happening?
Securely Travel spoke with a gun owner who had availed themselves to firearm training. This individual pondered if these instances of firearm seizures are rising as states relax their laws about what it takes to buy or carry a gun? They went on to observe that when they took their firearm course in Texas some years ago to carry a gun, they were taught about transporting the firearm across state lines and the proper way to travel with the firearm, flying included. With the change in Texas laws, that course is no longer needed. Perhaps it should be, not only in Texas, but every state.
In an early 2022 article the “Trace” wrote a piece which detailed how there are 32 states which allow individuals to carry firearms without any “live fire training.” That is to say, you can get a license to carry a firearm (if the license is even needed) without any need to determine if you know which ends up the firearm is up.