PHILADELPHIA – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Philadelphia International Airport prevented a Chester County, Pa., resident from bringing his handgun through the security checkpoint on Monday, Nov. 27. The 9mm gun was loaded with six bullets.
The gun was caught as the man, a resident of Coatesville, Pa., entered the security checkpoint. The X-ray unit alerted on his carry-on bag, which required a closer inspection. The firearm was confiscated by the police, who cited the man on a weapons charge. The man was not only cited by police, but he also faces a stiff financial civil penalty for bringing a gun to a TSA security checkpoint. The penalty for carrying weapons can reach as high as $15,000, depending on the circumstances.
“Our officers are well trained and remain vigilant in their mission, especially during the long Thanksgiving holiday travel period,” said Gerardo Spero, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “There is no excuse for bringing a gun to the checkpoint. Responsible gun owners do not bring their guns to a checkpoint. The Monday after Thanksgiving is usually one of the busiest days of the year as people who have been on an extended Thanksgiving trip continue to make their way home. This was irresponsible on the part of this traveler on one of the busiest days of the year. Incidents such as this are dangerous, they disrupt our security screening operations and cause delays for other law-abiding travelers who just want to get on their flight to travel for the holiday. This man now faces a Federal civil penalty that could cost him thousands of dollars.”
Firearms caught at TSA checkpoints at Philadelphia International Airport, 2017 to 2023
|
Year |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 (As of 11/27/23) |
|
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) |
35 |
25 |
20 |
26 |
39 |
44 |
42 |
Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint carries a federal civil penalty because TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to individuals who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. Civil penalties for bringing a gun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on mitigating circumstances. This applies to individuals with or without concealed gun carry permits because a concealed carry permit does not allow a firearm to be carried through a checkpoint. The complete list of civil penalties is posted online. Additionally, if a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck®, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.
TSA has details on how to travel with a firearm and ammunition posted on its web site. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality and passengers should do their homework to make sure that they are not violating any local firearm laws. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.
Unsure if an item should be packed in a carry-on bag, checked bag, either or neither? Download the free myTSA app, which has a handy “What can I bring?” feature that allows you to type in the item to find out if it can fly. Or ask on Twitter or Facebook Messenger at @AskTSA. Travelers may send a question by texting “Travel” to AskTSA (275-872).