(TSA photo)
BOSTON – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers stopped a woman from carrying a loaded firearm onto an airplane at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) on Monday, March 14.
During security screening around 4 p.m., a TSA officer detected the loaded .9mm firearm along with a magazine containing four rounds in the woman’s carry-on bag. TSA officers immediately alerted the Massachusetts State Police who responded and discovered the Massachusetts’s woman did have a permit to carry, but was denied entry and missed her flight. She was eventually escorted out of the secure area.
“Even if you have a valid permit to carry, there are proper procedures passenger’s still have follow in order to travel with a firearm,” said Bob Allison, TSA’s Federal Security Director for Massachusetts. “Carelessly traveling with a firearm is a public safety concern, considering it could accidentally be discharged during a search. I strongly urge all gun owners to ensure they know where their firearm is before traveling to the airport.”
Monday’s gun catch was the third detection by TSA officers at a BOS security checkpoint this year. TSA detected 18 firearms at BOS security checkpoints in 2021.
TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. A typical first offense for carrying a loaded gun into a checkpoint is $4,100 and can go as high as $13,669 depending on any mitigating circumstances. This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because even though an individual may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane. The complete list of civil penalties is posted online. If a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck®, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.
Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are unloaded, packed separately from ammunition in a locked hardback case and declared at the airline check-in counter.
TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.