US seizes record number of guns at airports

The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) confiscated more than 6,542 firearms from airport passengers in 2022 — the most intercepted since the agency was formed — and most were loaded.

It marked a 10 percent increase over the 5,972 weapons seized in 2021. Approximately 88 percent of the guns found by agents in 2022 were loaded.

The record number of guns seized at airports comes amid growing concern over turbulence in the skies among unruly passengers.

The Federal Aviation Administration said that up to Dec 15, there were 2,359 reports of unruly passengers, 823 investigations initiated, and 553 enforcement action cases initiated.

Travel volumes returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2022, according to the TSA. Officers screened 736 million passengers, an average of more than 2 million passengers per day.

The TSA was formed in 2001 and has more than 50,000 officers. TSA Administrator David Pekoske said last month in a statement: "I applaud the work of our security officers who do an excellent job of preventing firearms from getting into the secure area of the airport and onboard aircraft."

The US has stringent laws for those who want to legally carry a firearm while traveling on an aircraft. Guns aren’t allowed in carry-on bags.

But passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are unloaded and packed in a locked hard-sided case. The case with the firearm must be brought to the airline check-in counter and declared to the airline.

Ammunition must be in its original box and can be packed inside the hard-sided case, next to the firearm, TSA advises. "Even if the box of ammunition is not full, the bullets must be in their original case."

Passengers who are found with guns in their carry-on bags can be fined from $3,000 up to $14,950 by the TSA. The agency recently raised the cost of the fines to deter travelers from bringing guns to the airport.

Anyone found with a loaded or unloaded firearm can face criminal referral to the police. If the person has a history of carrying loaded weapons into security checkpoints, the fine could be higher.

Those who violate rules also may have their Trusted Traveler status and TSA PreCheck expedited screening benefits revoked, the agency said.

Last year, at least 262 firearms were caught at checkpoints nationwide, figures show.

The airports with the most guns confiscated were Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (448), Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (385), George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston (298) and Nashville International Airport (213).

At New York City airport checkpoints, TSA officers found 39 handguns illegally held by passengers, an increase from 26 in 2021. The firearms were discovered during routine screening of carry-on bags.

LaGuardia Airport had the biggest jump in the number of firearms after TSA officers detected 11 handguns last year, up from four caught in 2021.

Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey recorded a slight increase from 12 to 14 guns.

John F. Kennedy International Airport was the only airport in the New York City region that noted a decrease in the number of firearms brought to checkpoints, from nine stopped in 2021 down to seven last year.

Laws on firearm possession vary by state and locality. Passengers must have gun permits for the states that they are traveling to and from.