TSA officers stopped a man with this loaded handgun at Philadelphia International Airport on Tuesday, Nov. 28. (TSA photo)
PHILADELPHIA – Two guns in two days. That’s what Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Philadelphia International Airport came across when they prevented a Philadelphia man from passing through the security checkpoint on Tuesday, Nov. 28, just one day after they stopped a Chester County, Pa., resident from bringing his handgun through the security checkpoint.
The 9mm gun caught on Tuesday (Nov. 28) was loaded with seven bullets, including one in the chamber.
The gun was caught as the man entered the security checkpoint. The X-ray unit alerted on his carry-on bag, which required a closer inspection. The firearm was confiscated by the police, who cited the man on a weapons charge. In addition to being cited by police, the man also faces a stiff financial civil penalty for bringing a gun to a TSA security checkpoint. The penalty for carrying weapons can reach as high as $15,000, depending on the circumstances.
“There is no excuse for bringing a gun to the checkpoint,” said Gerardo Spero, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “Responsible gun owners do not bring their guns to a checkpoint. Two guns in two days brings our annual total to 43, which is one shy of our record. I can assure you that this is not the type of record we seek to set. We would much rather see fewer travelers carelessly bringing their guns to our checkpoints. Doing so is irresponsible on the part of the travelers.”
Firearms caught at TSA checkpoints at Philadelphia International Airport, 2017 to 2023
|
Year |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 (As of 11/28/23) |
|
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) |
35 |
25 |
20 |
26 |
39 |
44 |
43 |
Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint carries a federal civil penalty because TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to individuals 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 individuals with or without concealed gun carry permits because a concealed carry permit does not allow a firearm to be carried through a checkpoint. 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.
TSA has details on how to travel with a firearm and ammunition posted on its web site. 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).