TSA officers at Stewart Airport detected this handgun in a traveler’s carry-on bag on July 17. (TSA photo)
NEWBURGH, N.Y. – A Florida man was arrested by police after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers prevented him from carrying a loaded handgun onto his flight at New York Stewart International Airport on Sunday, July 17. The handgun was loaded with seven bullets including one in the chamber.
A TSA officer spotted the handgun on the checkpoint X-ray machine’s monitor as the man’s belongings entered the X-ray unit. TSA immediately alerted the New York State Police, who responded to the checkpoint, confiscated the gun and arrested the man. He also faces a stiff federal civil penalty for bringing a gun to an airport security checkpoint.
“This is the second gun that our TSA team has detected at Stewart Airport so far this month,” said Robert Duffy, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “Our officers are highly proficient at detecting guns and prohibited items from getting past the checkpoints and people who try to bring a gun onto a flight will pay a stiff price. The civil penalty will be costly. If you own a firearm, pack it correctly for transport in checked baggage or leave it at home.”
Guns can be transported on a flight if they are unloaded, packed in a locked, hard-sided case and declared to the airline. The airline will be sure that the gun travels with checked baggage in the belly of the plane, never in the cabin of the plane. Additionally, replica firearms also are prohibited in carry-on baggage and also must be transported in checked luggage.
At the airport during the check-in process, a passenger needs to go to the airline ticket counter to declare the firearm, ammunition and any firearm parts.
Civil penalties for bringing a handgun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on mitigating circumstances. Among the factors TSA considers when determining the civil penalty amount include whether the firearm was loaded and whether there was accessible ammunition. Civil penalties apply 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.
Individuals who violate rules regarding traveling with guns will have Trusted Traveler status and TSA PreCheck® expedited screening benefits revoked for a period of time. TSA has additional traveler information specifically related to the transportation of firearms and ammunition posted on its website. A full summary of TSA’s civil penalties for prohibited items is also available online.
TSA reminds passengers to always know the contents of their carry-on bag prior to coming to the security checkpoint. TSA has multiple resources available to passengers to help them determine whether an item is permitted in carry-on baggage, checked baggage, either or neither.
Travelers can use the “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 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends.