TSA officers at the DCA North Checkpoint prevented this gun from getting onto an aircraft in carry-on luggage on June 8. (TSA photo)
ARLINGTON, Va.-- Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) stopped a Virginia man with a loaded gun at a security checkpoint on Sunday, June 8.
The handgun, loaded with 16 bullets, was in the traveler’s carry-on bag.
“Travelers who carry firearms can expect to be stopped at airport checkpoints and may face significant penalties,” said John Busch, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “To travel with a firearm, it must be unloaded and placed in a locked hard-sided case and then taken to the airline check-in counter. All firearms must be transported in the belly of the aircraft, so they cannot be accessed during the flight.”
Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint carries a federal civil penalty that may exceed $17,000, depending on the circumstances. In addition, travelers stopped with firearms at airport checkpoints lose TSA PreCheck® privileges for up to five years. The complete list of civil penalties is posted on TSA.gov.
TSA-imposed civil penalties apply to all travelers regardless of their concealed gun carry permit status. Firearms are prohibited in accessible property, such as carry-on bags.
When Transportation Security Officers detect a gun in the checkpoint X-ray unit, they stop the conveyor belt and notify police. TSA does not want its screening officers handling firearms, so a police officer will remove the carry-on bag from the X-ray unit and determine if criminal charges apply. The remaining passengers in the checkpoint lane either wait for the issue to be resolved or are shifted to another checkpoint lane. This can delay travelers from getting to their airline gates.
Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality, and passengers who carry should ensure they are in full compliance with local firearm laws. For more information about traveling safely and securely with a firearm, please see TSA’s firearms requirements: Prepare. Pack. Declare.
Unsure if an item should be packed in a carry-on or checked bag? 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 also send questions by texting “Travel” to AskTSA (275-872).