BOSTON – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers stopped a woman from carrying a loaded firearm onto an airplane at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) on Tuesday, May 11.
During afternoon security screening a TSA officer detected the loaded .380 caliber firearm along with a magazine containing six rounds in the woman’s carry-on bag. TSA officers immediately alerted the Massachusetts State Police who discovered the pistol had a bullet chambered. A Massachusetts State Trooper then took possession of the firearm and informed the Massachusetts resident she would receive a summons in the mail for bringing a gun to a security checkpoint.
“Our TSA officers continue to remain vigilant in performing their security duties during this pandemic,” said Bob Allison, TSA’s Federal Security Director for Massachusetts. “I strongly urge any gun owner to ensure they know where their firearm is before traveling to the airport.”
This was the first gun detection by TSA officers at a BOS security checkpoint this year. A total of 11 were discovered at security checkpoints in 2020 and 18 in 2019.
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 handgun 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.