BOSTON – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers stopped a 28-year-old male from carrying a loaded firearm onto an airplane at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) on Tuesday, June 22. This was the sixth firearm detection this year by TSA officers at BOS security checkpoints.
On Tuesday morning just before 10:00 a.m., a TSA officer detected a loaded 9mm firearm along with a magazine containing eight rounds in the man’s backpack. Massachusetts State Police responded, took possession of the firearm and issued the Massachusetts resident a summons to appear in court.
“Summer travel season is here and it is busy, but our TSA officers continue to do a fantastic job preventing firearms from entering the secure area of the airport,” said Bob Allison, TSA’s Federal Security Director for Massachusetts. “Passengers who are traveling with firearms need to ensure they are properly packed in their checked baggage. When an individual shows up at a checkpoint with a firearm it can slow or shut down security screening until the police resolve the incident.”
In 2020 TSA discovered a total of 11 firearms at BOS security checkpoints 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.