TSA set a record for number of guns caught at Pennsylvania airport checkpoints in 2021

PHILADELPHIA - Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers set a record for the number of guns detected at Pennsylvania airport security checkpoints last year. TSA officers stopped 89 handguns at Pennsylvania airport security checkpoints in 2021, a sharp increase from the 57 guns detected in 2020 and a spike from the 71 caught in 2019 (pre-pandemic).   

The largest increase in guns brought to checkpoints took place at Philadelphia and Pittsburgh International Airports. Thirty-nine guns were caught at Philadelphia last year, which set a new record for the number caught at the airport. At Pittsburgh, TSA officers caught 32 firearms at security checkpoints. Increases in gun detections at security checkpoints also took place at Arnold Palmer Regional, Lehigh Valley International and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International airports.

Nationwide, TSA officers detected 5,972 firearms at airport security checkpoints in 2021. It was a significant increase from the 3,257 detected last year and a spike from the 4,432 detected in 2019 (pre pandemic). The rate of guns caught at checkpoints nationwide came to of 10.2 firearms per million passengers in 2021. Of the guns caught in 2021, approximately 86 percent were loaded. Firearms were caught at 268 airport checkpoints nationwide.

TSA firearms caught at TSA checkpoints in airports in Pennsylvania, 2017 to 2021

Travelers who bring firearms to the checkpoint are subject to criminal charges from law enforcement and civil penalties from TSA. Even if a traveler has a concealed weapon permit, firearms are not permitted to be carried onto an airplane. However, travelers with proper firearm permits can travel legally with their firearms in their checked bags if they follow a few simple guidelines.

Top 10 airports with guns caught by TSA at checkpoints in 2021
Rank	Airport (Code)	Total
1	Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)	507
2	Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)	317
3	Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)	245
4	Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)	196
5	Nashville International Airport (BNA)	163
6	Denver International Airport (DEN)	141
7	Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)	128
8	Orlando International Airport (MCO)	124
9	Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY)	119
10	Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)	115

Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality. TSA advises travelers to familiarize themselves with state and local firearm laws for each point of travel prior to departure to ensure that they have the proper gun permits for the states that they are traveling to and from. Airlines may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition so travelers should also contact the airline regarding firearm and ammunition carriage policies prior to arriving at the airport.

Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are unloaded, packed in a hard-side case, locked, and packed separately from ammunition. Ammunition must be in its original box and can be packed inside the hard-side case, next to the firearm. Even if the box of ammunition is not full, the bullets must be in their original case. Then the case with the firearm should be brought to the airline check-in counter and the airline representative informed that the passenger wants to travel with the gun. Firearms are transported inside checked baggage and are placed in the belly of the aircraft so that nobody has access to them during the flight. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its web site.

Individuals who bring weapons to a checkpoint are subject to federal civil penalties of up to $13,900. The complete list of penalties is posted online. In addition to civil penalties, individuals who violate rules regarding traveling with firearms will have Trusted Traveler status and TSA PreCheck® expedited screening benefits revoked for a period of time.     

National statistics: Firearms caught

by TSA at checkpoints, 2008 to 2021

TSA officers continued their overall vigilance in protecting our nation’s transportation systems in 2021, in spite of the pandemic, including catching other prohibited items at the checkpoints. TSA recently posted a video of the top 10 prohibited items of 2021.

Travelers can use the “What Can I Bring?” feature on the TSA website or on the free downloadable myTSA app. Travelers can also tweet or message “@AskTSA” if they have a travel question or are unsure if an item is allowed through security in a carry-on bag. Just snap a picture or send a question and get real-time assistance.