TSA officers at JFK International Airport intercepted this loaded gun at a TSA security checkpoint on Feb. 4. (TSA photo)
NEW YORK – Transportation Security Administration officers prevented a New York City man from bringing a gun onto his flight at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Tuesday, Feb. 4. The 9mm handgun was loaded with 12 bullets.
When TSA officers intercepted the firearm, they notified the Port Authority Police who responded to the checkpoint, where they confiscated the gun and arrested the man on a weapons charge. He also faces a Federal civil penalty for bringing a loaded firearm to a TSA checkpoint. The Federal penalty for carrying weapons can reach a maximum of $15,000.
“Bringing a gun to an airport security checkpoint is strictly prohibited,” said John Essig, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “Loaded guns are deadly weapons and present a threat and this man introduced a threat to our checkpoint area. People who own firearms need to be more cognizant of where and when they are carrying their weapon. It is no secret that guns cannot be carried onto an aircraft. If you own a firearm, it is critically important that you always know where it is, and you know that it is not among the items in your carry-on bag when you come to an airport. That is part of being a responsible gun owner.”
TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website. To transport a firearm for a flight, it must be unloaded, packed in a locked hard-sided case and declared at the airline counter so it can be placed in the belly of the aircraft with the checked baggage.
TSA firearms caught at TSA checkpoints at JFK International Airport, 2018 to 2025
| Year | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 (As of 2/4/25) |
| Guns caught at the JFK International Airport checkpoints | 9 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 15 | 10 | 1 |
Bringing a firearm 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/aggravating 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.
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).