TSA intercepted two guns at Pittsburgh International Airport today

ITTSBURGH –Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) intercepted two handguns at two different checkpoints this morning, Jan. 21.

Last year TSA officers intercepted 42 guns at the airport’s checkpoints.

In one incident this morning, a man from Pittsburgh was stopped with a .32 caliber handgun loaded with six bullets and in the other, unrelated incident, a man from Baden, Pa., was stopped with a loaded .40 caliber gun. In both instances the police confiscated the weapons. 

When the TSA officers detected the firearms, the checkpoint lanes came to a halt until the police responded and removed the carry-on bag from the X-ray machine. Meanwhile, other travelers who were in line were forced to wait until the incident was cleared, delaying them from getting through the checkpoint and to their gate. 

“Our officers are good at their jobs, and they are focused on the mission,” said Gerardo Spero, TSA’s Federal Security Director for Pennsylvania. “Travelers are responsible for the contents of their carry-on bags and these men face a stiff federal financial civil penalty that could cost them thousands of dollars. That’s a very expensive mistake to make. For owners of firearms in the region, I ask that you consider making your new year’s resolution that you will not bring your gun to a checkpoint and instead will pack it properly for transport on a flight. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.”

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). 

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 weapon into a checkpoint can reach up to $15,000, depending on the specific weapon and the 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. This also applies to travelers who are enrolled in the TSA PreCheck® program, who will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges if they bring a gun to a checkpoint.   

The complete list of civil penalties is posted online. 

When a gun is detected in the checkpoint X-ray unit, the conveyor belt is stopped, and the police are notified. Police remove the carry-on bag from the X-ray unit because TSA does not want its officers handling firearms. Police determine whether a traveler is arrested or issued a criminal citation. Meanwhile the remaining passengers in the checkpoint lane either wait for the issue to be resolved or they are shifted to another checkpoint lane, thus delaying dozens of passengers from getting to their gates.

TSA firearms intercepted at airport checkpoints at Pittsburgh International Airport, 2017 to 2025

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.