NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Transportation Security Administration officers at Nashville International Airport (BNA) discovered 25 firearms at security checkpoints in July 2021, the highest monthly total on record for the airport.
While firearms may be transported in checked baggage (provided they are declared to the airline, in a proper carrying case and unloaded), they are prohibited in carry-on bags.
Security is the first concern of the TSA, and having these items in bags that are traveling with you on the aircraft is dangerous to other travelers and can be easily mistaken as an intentional attempt to bring a prohibited item onto an aircraft.
“Since the implementation of new gun laws in the state, we’ve seen a significant increase in the number of firearms brought to Tennessee security checkpoints,” said Steve Wood, TSA Federal Security Director for Tennessee. “Passengers must remember they’re responsible for the contents of bags and our advice is they thoroughly inspect all personal belongings to make sure there are no illegal or prohibited items before coming to the airport.”
TSA officers at BNA security checkpoints detected 85 firearms in the first seven months of 2021. A total of 94 were found there during all of calendar year 2020.
In addition to potential criminal charges, passengers who bring firearms to a checkpoint face civil penalties from TSA: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/civil-enforcement
For information on the proper way to travel with a firearm, visit https://www.tsa.gov/travel/transporting-firearms-and-ammunition.