TSA officers prevented this gun from getting through the security checkpoint at Norfolk International Airport on Jan. 24. (TSA photo)
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach, Va., woman was stopped at the Norfolk International Airport security checkpoint after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers intercepted a gun among her carry-on items on Friday, Jan. 24. The .380 caliber handgun was loaded with six bullets.
The firearm was removed from the checkpoint and confiscated by the Norfolk Airport Authority Police. TSA does not confiscate firearms; law enforcement officers do. The case will be forwarded to the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney for possible criminal prosecution.
Friday’s gun catch was the first firearm that has been detected at the airport so far this year. In 2024, TSA officers intercepted 34 guns at the checkpoints, which was a record for the airport.
“Unfortunately, we continue to see travelers bringing their firearms to our checkpoints,” said Robin “Chuck” Burke, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “You should never bring a gun to a checkpoint. If you want to transport it to your destination, the proper way to do so is to make sure it is unloaded. Then pack it in a locked hard-sided case and take it to the airline check-in counter to declare that you want to fly with it. Instead, on Friday the woman tried to carry her loaded gun through the checkpoint and onto her flight. Now she 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.
Firearms caught by TSA officers at Norfolk International Airport checkpoints, 2016 to 2025
Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 As of 1/26/25) |
Guns caught at Norfolk International Airport (ORF) checkpoints |
14 |
10 |
21 |
15 |
12 |
23 |
27 |
29 |
34 |
1 |
Passengers are only permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage. Firearms must be unloaded, then packed in a hard-sided locked case. The locked case must be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared so that the airline can transport it in the belly of the aircraft where nobody has access to it during a flight. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.
Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality, and gun owners have a duty to ensure they are not violating any local firearm laws. Additionally, contacting the respective airline could reveal any additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.
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 a concealed carry permit does not allow 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.
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).