This handgun was detected by TSA officers at the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport security checkpoint on April 9. (TSA photo)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport prevented an Indiana resident from bringing his loaded handgun onto a flight on Tuesday, April 9. The 9mm firearm was loaded with 11 bullets and was the first one intercepted by TSA officers so far this year.
The gun was detected as the man entered the security checkpoint. The X-ray unit alerted on the carry-on bag, which required a closer inspection, at which time the TSA officers spotted the firearm.
The man now 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.
“Responsible gun owners know where their firearm is at all times and know that they cannot carry it through a TSA checkpoint and onto their flight,” explained Robin “Chuck” Burke, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “Our officers are good at their jobs preventing people from carrying prohibited and illegal items through our checkpoint.”
Passengers are only permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage. Firearms must be unloaded then packed in a hard-sided locked case. The locked case must be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.
Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality and gun owners have a duty to ensure they are not violating any local firearm laws. Additionally, contacting the respective airline could reveal any additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.
Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint carries a federal civil penalty because TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers 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 travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because a concealed carry permit does not allow a firearm to be carried onto an airplane. 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.
Last year, 6,735 firearms were caught at airport security checkpoints nationwide and 93 percent of them were loaded.
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).
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