TSA officers detected this handgun from being carried onto a flight at Pittsburgh International Airport by a man from Slippery Rock, Pa., on Monday, Aug. 7. (TSA photo)
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers prevented two men from carrying guns onto their flights at Pittsburgh International Airport yesterday (Aug. 7). The first firearm, a loaded 9mm handgun was detected the carry-on bag of a man from Slippery Rock, Pa., and later in the day a second man, a resident of Pittsburgh, Pa., was stopped with a .380 caliber gun along with a gun magazine loaded with eight bullets in his backpack.
The incidents were not related.
The Pittsburgh man was cited by police because he did not have a firearm permit. He told officials he forgot that he had his gun and ammunition in his backpack.
In each instance when a TSA officer spotted the handguns in the checkpoint X-ray machine, airport police were alerted, came to the checkpoint and confiscated the weapons. Each individual now faces a stiff federal financial civil penalty. Federal penalties for bringing weapons to the checkpoint can run as high as $15,000, depending on the circumstances.
“The frequency in the number of travelers bringing guns to our checkpoints continues to be alarming,” said Karen Keys-Turner, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “Our officers are doing a tremendous job staying vigilant while screening travelers during this peak summer travel period. These marked the 23rd and 24th guns we have stopped here at Pittsburgh so far this year. Nationwide our TSA officers have prevented more than 3,000 guns from being carried onto flights. Remember, carrying firearms to security checkpoints slows down the security lines for everyone. If you’re flying this summer—or any time of the year--it is vitally important to know that the items you have in your carry-on bag are allowed through our security checkpoints.
“I urge travelers to take a few moments before they come to the airport to refresh their familiarity with the proper procedures on how to pack a gun for a flight. Firearms should never be brought to the security checkpoint in carry-on luggage. Responsible gun owners know this,” she said.
Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms only in checked baggage if they are unloaded and packed in a hard-sided locked case. Then the locked case should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.
Firearms are not permitted through a security checkpoint because passengers should not have access to a firearm during a flight. This even applies to travelers with concealed carry permits or are enrolled in the TSA PreCheck® program, who will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges if they bring a gun to a checkpoint. Individuals who bring their gun to a security checkpoint also face a federal financial civil penalty.
Last year, 6,542 firearms were caught at 262 out of 430 airport security checkpoints nationwide. Eighty-eight percent were loaded.
TSA firearms catches at airport checkpoints at Pittsburgh International Airport, 2017 to 2023
|
Year |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 (as of 8/7/23) |
|
Pittsburgh International Airport |
32 |
34 |
35 |
21 |
32 |
26 |
24 |
Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint carries a federal civil penalty because TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. Civil penalties for bringing a gun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on 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. Additionally, if a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck®, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.
Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality and passengers should do their homework to make sure that they are not violating any local firearm laws. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.
Unsure if an item should be packed in a carry-on bag, checked bag, either or neither? Download the free myTSA app, which has a handy “What can I bring?” feature that allows you to type in the item to find out if it can fly. Or ask on Twitter or Facebook Messenger at @AskTSA. Travelers may send a question by texting “Travel” to AskTSA (275-872).