firearms

How many firearms did travelers bring to airport checkpoints in 2024?

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The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) released its 2024 tally for the number of firearms found at airport checkpoints.

And while this time around the number of “finds” isn’t a record breaker, it’s still quite shocking.

In 2024, (TSA) found a total of 6,678 firearms at airport security checkpoints, a slight decrease from the 6,737 firearms found in 2023.

More alarming: In 2024, approximately 94% of the firearms passengers brought to the checkpoints were loaded.

TSA screened more than 904 million passengers in 2024 and the total number of firearms found equates to 18.2 firearms found each day and 7.4 firearms per million people.

That’s a decrease from the 7.8 firearms per million people in 2023.

In 2024, firearms were discovered at 277 airports with the most firearms, 440, found at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).

Other airports on the Top 10 list for firearm discoveries include:

Dallas Fort Worth (DFW): 390

George Bush Intercontinental (IAH): 272

Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX): 247

Nashville (BNA): 188

Denver (DEN): 166

Orlando (MCO): 150

Dallas Love Field (DAL): 143

Tampa (TPA): 135

Austin (AUS): 126

What happens when TSA discovers a firearm at an airport checkpoint?

TSA will immediately contact local law enforcement and, depending on local laws, the person who brought the firearms to the airport will either be arrested or cited.

TSA does not confiscate firearms, but in addition to any action taken by local law enforcement, the agency has the authority to levy a maximum civil penalty of $14,950 and revoke TSA PreCheck eligibility revoked for at least five years.

Flying soon? Locate your guns.

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It’s not overdoing it to say that the Stuck at the Airport safety and security team is a bit obsessed with the topic of firearms at airports.

We can’t go down the rabbit hole that is the gun control discussion here.

But we do get quite alarmed every time the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) shares statistics about the number of firearms passengers try to take with them through airport security checkpoints.

The rules for flying with firearms are pretty clear

Firearms are prohibited at security checkpoints, in the secure area of an airport and in the passenger cabin of an aircraft, according to the TSA.

Even if a passenger has a concealed carry permit or is in a constitutional carry jurisdiction.

Yet, travelers continue to show up at airport checkpoints with guns.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reports that it intercepted 5,028 firearms at airport security checkpoints during the first nine months of 2024.

This total represents an average of 18.3 firearms detected per day, according to the TSA.

And – here’s where we get freaked out – TSA says that more than 93% of those guns were loaded.

TSA used to report what percentage of the guns they found at checkpoints had a bullet in the chamber. But we haven’t seen those stats in a while. (We’ll ask….).

Here are some more firearms-at-airports stats shared today by the TSA.

TSA screened more than 678 million passengers through the first three quarters of 2024.

That is a record-setting number of passengers compared to the more than 638 million passengers TSA screened during the same period of 2023 – and is an increase of nearly 6.3%.

The rate of firearms discoveries at TSA checkpoints during the most recent quarter (July – September) was 7.5 firearms per one million passengers.

Here’s their chart:

The “good news” is that with the uptick in passengers, this is a slight decrease from the same period in 2023 when officers discovered 8.1 firearms per one million passengers.

But still – a lot of “oops, I forgot that loaded gun was in my carry-on bag” incidents at airport checkpoints.

What happens if TSA discovers you’ve got a firearm on your person or in your carry-on at the security checkpoint?

TSA says it does not confiscate or seize firearms.

Instead, it says that if a passenger has a firearm on their person or in their carry-on luggage, TSA contacts local law enforcement to safely take possession of that firearm.

And, depending on local laws, the passenger may be arrested or issued a citation.

For its part, TSA can also impose a civil penalty of up to $15,000. For a first offense, passengers with TSA PreCheck lose their eligibility for that program for five years. A second offense results in permanent disqualification from the program, along with additional civil penalties.

Bottom line: unless you go through the proper procedures to travel with your firearm, leave that firearm at home.

(Photo up top courtesy of Library of Congress – Bain Collection)

TSA’s 6 month gun tally + Happy Birthday SEA

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The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has been screening a record number of travelers and finding lots of firearms as it does.

How many firearms?

For the first half of the year, which ended on June 30, TSA reports that it found 3,269 firearms at airport security checkpoints, an average of 19 firearms a day.

94% of all the firearms found so far were loaded.

During this period last year, TSA found about the same number of firearms: 3,251.

How’s it going now that we’re into the 2nd half of 2024?

In the first 8 days of July, TSA found an additional 166 additional firearms. So we’re off to an alarming start.

Happy 75th birthday to Seattle-Tacoma Int’l Airport

SEA easing into its 75th year

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) celebrated a milestone birthday on Tuesday with a day of festivities in the terminal and a look back at opening day.

SEA scavenger hunt

SEA created a terminal-wide scavenger hunt in honor of its 75th birthday.

Here’s the map of where to look for the scavenger hunt items and the list of what to look for next time you’re in the SEA terminal.

TSA’s firearm tally hits a new record

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(‘No Guns on Planes’ photo courtesy TSA)

Pop quiz: Can you take your gun on a plane in your carry-on bag?

The answer is no.

But the message isn’t getting through. No matter how many times and in how many ways the Transportation Security Administration crew tries to remind travelers of that fact.

In 2023, TSA officers found 6,737 firearms in carry-on bags at airport security checkpoints.

That’s up from the 6,542 firearms detected in 2022. And it’s a scary new record.

Even more alarming: of all the guns TSA found in carry-on bags at airport checkpoints nationwide in 2023, approximately 93 percent were loaded.

The TSA didn’t share how many of those loaded guns had a bullet in the chamber. (They used to).

  

Top 10 list of airports where TSA found the most guns

In 2023, firearms were caught at 265 airport checkpoints.

Here’s a TSA chart showing the 10 airports where TSA found the most guns. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) tops the list with a total of 451 firearms. Three Texas airports are on the Top 10 list.

Top 10 airports with guns caught by TSA at checkpoints in 2023
RankAirport (Code)Total
1Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)451
2Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)378
3Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)311
4Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)235
5Nashville International Airport (BNA)188
6Denver International Airport (DEN)178
7Orlando International Airport (MCO)164
8Tampa International Airport144
9Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)135
10Dallas Love Field (DAL)

The numbers have been climbing. This chart shows firearms caught by TSA at checkpoints from 2008 to 2023

YearNationwide
20236,737
20226,542
20215,972
20203,257
20194,432
20184,239
2017 3,957
20163,391
20152,653
20142,212
20131,813
20121,556
20111,320
20101,123
2009976
2008926

Can you take your gun in your checked bag?

The answer is yes. But.

TSA says travelers may pack firearms in checked baggage if they are unloaded and packed in a locked hard-side case.

Ammunition must be in its original box and can be packed inside the hard-side case, next to the firearm. Even if the box of ammunition is not full, the bullets must be in their original case. The case with the firearm should be brought to the airline check-in counter to be declared to the airline representative.

TSA finding more guns than ever

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GUNS AT AIPORTS. Sadly, that’s a thing.

Looks like the Transporation Security Administration (TSA) is on its way to breaking yet another record.

And it’s not for the number of passengers screened at U.S. airports. Although those numbers are up.

This record is likely to be for the number of firearms found at airport security checkpoints.

As of the end of September, 5,072 firearms have been found in carry-on bags, or on passengers, at airport security checkpoints. That’s just for the first three quarters of the year.

In just this third quarter, TSA screeners spotted 1,820 firearms at checkpoints, an average of 19.8 per day. More alarming: 94% (!) of all those firearms were loaded.

If you follow any of the TSA social media feeds (and you should, the posts are sometimes very funny and corny) you’ll see that, despite efforts to remind passengers that firearms are not allowed in carry-on bags, more firearms are found every day.

So at this rate, it’s a good bet that last year’s record of 6,542 firearms will be surpassed before the end of the year.

Want to bring your gun on your flight?

While firearms aren’t allowed in carry-on bags, they are allowed in checked luggage. Under certain conditions. They need to be unloaded in a locked hard-sided case. And they must be declared to the airline when you check that bag in at the ticket counter.

What happens if you ‘forget’ and bring your firearm to the checkpoint?

Try to remember: firearms are prohibited at security checkpoints, in the secure area of an airport, or in the passenger cabin of an aircraft.

That’s the rule even if you have a concealed carry permit or are in a constitutional carry jurisdiction. 

TSA tells us that most people found with firearms in their carry-on bags say “Oops, I forgot that was in there.” But with so many firearms being found, the weapons department of Stuck at the Airport finds that hard to believe.

So, what happens if you’re found with a firearm at an airport security checkpoint?

Per TSA:

If a passenger brings a firearm to the TSA checkpoint, the TSO will contact local law enforcement to safely unload and take possession of the firearm. The law enforcement officer may also arrest or cite the passenger, depending on local law. TSA may impose a civil penalty of up to almost $15,000, and passengers who present with a firearm at a security checkpoint will lose TSA PreCheck eligibility for five years.  

Bottom line: leave your firearms at home.

Why do people bring guns to the airport?

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TSA shares half-year tally of firearms found at airport checkpoints

Travelers are returning to airports and airplanes in record numbers.

And for some reason, many of those travelers are packing guns in their carry-on bags.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reports that its officers found 3,251 firearms at airport security checkpoints during the first half of 2023, which ended June 30.

The total represents an average of 18 firearms per day, of which more than 92% were loaded.

This is an increase from the first half of 2022 when Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) found 3,053 firearms at security checkpoints. 86% of those firearms were loaded.

In the first five days of July, TSA officers found an additional 90 firearms at airport checkpoints, bringing the total for 2023 through July 5 to 3,341.

In 2022, a record 6,542 firearms were found at airport checkpoints. So it looks like we’re on the path of breaking that record – again – in 2023.

What happens if you are caught with a firearm in a carry-on bag?

If a TSA officer finds a firearm in a carry-on bag, they’ll contact local law enforcement to check the contents of the carry-on bag, safely unload and take possession of the firearm and process the passenger in accordance with local laws on firearms. 

TSA will impose a civil penalty of up to $14,950, cancel the traveler’s TSA PreCheck eligibility for five years, and probably put them on an enhanced screening list.

Depending on local laws regarding firearms, the passenger may also be arrested or cited.

Nominations for TSA’s Top Ten Catches of 2023

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It’s been just a few weeks since the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) released its Top Ten Finds of 2022. And we already have news of some items found at airport checkpoints that might appear in the 2023 reel.

Snakes on a Plane. Almost

The Game of the Sociable Snake, c. 1890

This didn’t show up in TSA’s Top Ten Catches of 2022. But it should have.

A woman flying out of Tampa International Airport (TPA) had a boa constrictor in her carry-on bag.

The woman claimed that Bartholomew the boa was her emotional support pet, the TSA reports. But that story – and the boa – didn’t fly.

Replica Sniper Rifle Kit

Courtesy Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, Hyde Park, NY

Firearms aren’t allowed in airplane cabins or in carry-on bags. Yet, passengers try to take them onboard all the time. In 2022, TSA found more than 6,000 firearms at airport checkpoints. And most of those firearms were loaded.

Toy guns are also on TSA’s no-fly list. That includes this replica sniper rifle kit discovered in a carry-on bag this week at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) in New Hampshire.

In case you missed it, here’s TSA’s Top Ten Catches of 2022

TSA finds a gun hidden in a chicken at a Florida Airport

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Let’s give credit to the TSA officers at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) who cracked the case of the passenger whose carry-on luggage contained a raw chicken with a gun hidden inside.

TSA takes offenses like this seriously. But the agency isn’t above cackling and crowing about finds like this on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

“There’s a personal fowl here…” TSA noted in its Instagram post, adding that “The plot chickens as we barrel our way closer to Thanksgiving.”

The chicken puns didn’t stop there.

Far from it.

Courtesy OSU Special Collection & Archives, via FlickrCommons

TSA said it was thankful its officers “are always working around the cluck to keep you safe” when noting the “hen you believe it?” find at the Fort Lauderdale airport.

“We hate to beak it to you here, but stuffing a firearm in your holiday bird for travel is just a baste of time. This idea wasn’t even half-baked; it was raw, greasy, and obviously unsupervised. The only roast happening there is this poor packing choice.

Feather you like it or not, there are rules for traveling with guns and ammunition. So, don’t wing it; roost over the proper packaging info through the link in our bio.“

Guns in chickens are the least of it

While the gun-in-a-chicken scheme is unusual, TSA officers have a lot of experience spotting guns at Florida airports

Earlier this month the TSA noted that so far this year a record 700 guns had been found at Florida airport checkpoints and nearly every one of these guns was loaded. “Most had ammunition chambered,” TSA said.

Here’s some of the breakdown, as of November 3:

Orlando International Airport (MCO): 129 guns;

Ft. Lauderdale -Hollywood International Airport (FLL): 120 guns:

Tampa International Airport (TPA): 102 guns;

Miami International Airport (MIA): 83 guns;

Jacksonville International Airport (JAX): 58 guns;

Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW): 37 guns;

TSA says in Florida, and in many other states, most passengers found with firearms at the checkpoint are arrested or issued notices to appear in court.

“Passengers face a civil penalty from the TSA that can reach as much as $13,910 and that is imposed regardless of whether the individual is arrested by our law enforcement partners,” TSA reminds travelers. And “If the traveler is in the TSA PreCheck program, those privileges will be lost for a period of time, possibly permanently.”

Nationwide, TSA officers detected 5,972 firearms on passengers or their carry-on bags at checkpoints last year. As of mid-September 2022, more than 4,600 guns had been found. And given the uptick in firearm ‘finds’ the TSA has been reporting around the country, it’s a good bet that the tally will break a record again this year.

Crazy scary!? TSA found 3000+ guns at airport checkpoints so far this year

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Here’s a packing tip: check your pockets, your purse, your briefcase, duffel, or carry-on bag to make sure you aren’t taking your gun – your loaded gun (!) – with you to the airport.

As travel returns to ‘normal,’ the Transporation Security Administration reports an uptick in the number of guns, and – we repeat – loaded guns – being discovered at airport checkpoints.

Gun owners tell us that responsible gun owners always know where their gun is located. TSA says most people found with a gun in their carry-on say “they forgot” they had that gun on them.

In some cities and states, ‘forgetting’ you have a gun in your carry-on can result in a fine of more than $10,000 – or jail.

Or, depending on local laws, TSA may just tell you to (properly) put the gun in checked luggage. Or leave it behind.

But we’re headed for trouble. Last week TSA reported that in the first 6 months of 2022, TSA officers have already found more than 3,000 guns at checkpoints around the country.

That’s an average of 17 guns per day. And at this pace, TSA will surpass the previous record of 5,972 guns found at airport checkpoints in one year. That record was set in 2021, a year when far fewer people were traveling.

Any ideas for how to stop this?

What happens if you have a loaded gun in your carry-on in Australia?

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Courtesy Australian Federal Police

A hat tip to “Three Shots McGee” for sharing a story about what happens in Australia when someone is found with a loaded gun in their carry-on. As he says, having a passenger show up at an airport checkpoint with a loaded gun is an “Aussie airport event that almost never happens.”

But the passenger, an American, had an American excuse:

“The man claimed he had forgotten the weapon was in his luggage but this situation could have had deadly consequences for other travelers, even if it had discharged accidentally during the flight,” said Det. A/Supt. Sykes.

Meanwhile, in the United States, TSA officers found 5,972 firearms at airport security checkpoints in 2021. That is a significant increase from the 3,257 firearms found in carry-ons in 2020 when travel was down due to the pandemic. But it’s a serious spike over the 4,432 firearms found at airport checkpoints in 2019, pre-pandemic.

One of the most common excuses people give TSA officers is “Oops, I forgot that was in there.”

In the U.S., some people face fines and criminal charges when found with guns in their carry-ons. But in many cities and in many states, due to local laws all TSA can do is tell people to put the gun back in their car, put it in their checked bag, or give it to someone (ideally, someone they know…) to take home.