TSA officers stop 3rd firearm at Tweed New Haven Airport
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers prevented a male passenger from carrying a loaded firearm onto an airplane Thursday at Tweed New Haven Airport (HVN).
During Thursday afternoon security screening, TSA officers detected a firearm a male passenger’s carry-on bag. TSA immediately notified the New Haven Police (NHPD) who quickly responded and discovered a loaded 9mm with a round chambered in the 46-year-old passenger’s backpack. During the interview, the South Carolina resident stated he was in a rush and forgot to put the firearm in his checked luggage. The passenger ended up missing his flight.
“Even if you have a valid permit to carry, there are proper procedures you still have follow in order to travel with a firearm,” said William Csontos, TSA Federal Security Director for Connecticut. “When traveling with a firearm, gun owners need to have a permit to carry, and ensure the firearm is in a locked hard-sided container as checked baggage only. Finally, they need to declare the firearm and/or ammunition to the airline when checking their bag at the ticket counter.
This was the eighth firearm detected in Connecticut in 2023. TSA officers have detected a total of 35 firearms at New England security checkpoints this year; 12 at BOS, 6 at PWM, 5 at BDL, 3 each at HVN and BGR, 2 each at PVD and BTV and 1 each at MHT and AUG. In 2022 there was a record 47 firearm detections at New England security checkpoints.
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 gun into a checkpoint is $3,000 and can go as high as $15,000 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.