HOUSTON, TX. - Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers discovered eight guns at George Bush lntercontinental Airport (IAH) during a period of one week. These eight guns are part of 92 that have been discovered by TSA officers in 2020. That means 11.5 percent of the firearms detected at IAH in 2020, were found in the span of one week.
In the time period between Sept. 20 through Sept. 27,2020, TSA officers discovered the following firearms:
9/20/2020
.40
loaded
9/20/2020
9mm
loaded
9/22/2020
.380
loaded
9/23/2020
.380
loaded
9/23/2020
.357
loaded
9/24/2020
.380
unloaded
9/24/2020
9mm
unloaded
9/27/2020
9mm
loaded
“Guns are prohibited in the cabins of airplanes. This law has been in place long before TSA existed,” said Juan Sanchez, TSA’s Federal Security Director for IAH. “The majority of travelers claim they forgot they had a gun in their carry-on bags, that is not an acceptable reason for bringing a firearm to the security checkpoint.”
With passenger volume in the neighborhood of 80% lower than this time in 2019 as a result of the pandemic, it is an extremely disturbing trend.
Passengers are permitted to transport their firearms in checked baggage if they are properly packaged and declared at the airline check-in counter. Firearms must be unloaded, packed in a hard-sided case, locked and packed separately from ammunition. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality.
Travelers should check for firearm laws in the jurisdictions they are flying to and from.
TSA will review the circumstances of the incident and levy a civil penalty against each of the passengers. Factors TSA considers when determining the civil penalty amount include whether the firearm was loaded and whether there was accessible ammunition. TSA evaluates each incident on a case-by-case basis, and individuals can face federal financial civil penalties ranging from $2,000.00 to up to $13,000.00.
In addition to civil penalties, individuals who violate rules regarding traveling with firearms will have their Trusted Traveler status and TSA Pre✓® expedited screening benefits revoked for a period of time. The duration of the disqualification will depend upon the seriousness of the offense and if there is a repeated history of violations.
Firearms can be transported on a commercial aircraft only if they are unloaded, packed in a locked, hard-sided case and placed in checked baggage. Only the passenger should retain the key or combination to the lock unless TSA personnel request the key to open the firearm container to ensure compliance with TSA regulations Ammunition and firearm parts, including firearm frames, receivers, clips and magazines are also prohibited in carry-on baggage and must be checked. Any type of replica firearm is prohibited in carry-on baggage and must be transported in checked luggage.
At the airport during the check-in process, a passenger should go to the airline ticket counter to declare the firearm, ammunition and any firearm parts. Prior to traveling, passengers are encouraged to check gun laws and regulations at their destination to ensure they are in compliance with local and state laws. TSA also recommends travelers check with their airline prior to their flight to ensure they comply with any airline-specific requirements.
For pictures of the guns to https://twitter.com/Tsa_SouthWest
More information on traveling legally with a firearm is available on TSA’s website.