A traveler brought his firearm to a checkpoint at Philadelphia International Airport on Thursday, Jan. 12. (TSA photo)
PHILADELPHIA –Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Philadelphia International Airport have prevented three individuals from bringing handguns onto their flights in the first 12 days of the new year, the third of which was detected yesterday, Thursday, Jan. 12.
An Annapolis, Md., resident was arrested by police after TSA officers detected the man’s .40 caliber handgun in a carry-on bag yesterday. The gun was loaded with 12 bullets.
When the TSA officer spotted the gun in the checkpoint X-ray machine, the Philadelphia Police were alerted, confiscated the weapon and arrested the man. TSA also forwarded the incident to be followed up with the issuance of a federal financial civil penalty.
“The year is young and at this point I ask every owner of a firearm to make a new year’s resolution to pack their weapon properly for a flight if they want to travel with it,” said Gerardo Spero, TSA’s Federal Security Director for Philadelphia International Airport. “It is important to know that the proper way to transport a firearm for a flight is to ensure the weapon is not loaded, that it is packed in a locked hard-sided case and then taken to the airline check-in counter, where the airline representative will ensure it is transported in the belly of the plane with cargo and other checked baggage. Hopefully this incident serves as a reminder to other firearm owners about the proper way to transport their firearm because we have seen too many guns showing up at our security checkpoints already this year.”
Travelers are allowed to transport their firearms as checked baggage to be transported in the belly of the plane so that nobody has access to a gun during a flight. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality and travelers should check into firearm laws before they decide to travel with their guns. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.
TSA reserves the right to issue a stiff civil penalty to individuals who bring weapons with them to a checkpoint. That penalty can reach as high as $15,000, depending on mitigating or aggravating 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 into an airport or onto an airplane. If a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck®, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.
When an individual shows up at a checkpoint with a firearm, the checkpoint lane comes to a standstill until the police resolve the incident. Guns at checkpoints can delay travelers from getting to their gates.
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 to @AskTSA or send a text message (275-872) 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.
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