This handgun was detected by TSA officers in a passenger’s carry-on bag at Appleton International Airport (ATW) on March 24. (TSA photo)
MILWAUKEE – The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is reminding passengers that firearms are never allowed in carry-on baggage, after officers intercepted two firearms in one day at Appleton International Airport (ATW) this week. Firearms have also been detected this month at checkpoints in Dane County Regional Airport (MSN), Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE), and Central Wisconsin Airport (CWA).
The incident at ATW occurred Monday, March 24, around 5:30 a.m. During the routine screening of carry-on luggage, TSA officers spotted the image of two handguns on the X-ray screen within a single bag. TSA officials immediately alerted the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office, who responded to the checkpoint and took possession of the firearms. Both firearms were loaded.
“As we continue to project elevated travel volumes at airports across the state in the coming weeks and months, we urge passengers to start with an empty bag and ensure they aren’t inadvertently bringing any prohibited items to the checkpoint,” TSA Wisconsin Federal Security Director Mark Lendvay said. “Bringing a firearm in your carry-on bag is a careless, expensive mistake that introduces tremendous risk to the crowded checkpoint environment.”
Nationally, more than 6,600 firearms were stopped at airport checkpoints in 2024, a decrease from the year prior. Most airports in Wisconsin saw their firearm detections drop last year, as well.
In addition to any action taken by law enforcement, TSA fines passengers who bring a firearm to a TSA checkpoint with a civil penalty up to approximately $15,000, revokes TSA PreCheck® eligibility for at least five years and may conduct enhanced screening to ensure there are no other threats present.
Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are unloaded, packed separately from ammunition in a locked hard-sided case and declared at the airline check-in counter. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality. Travelers should check for firearm laws in the jurisdictions they are flying to and from.
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.