TSA details record Philadelphia airport gun seizures

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials said 44 guns detected in carry-on luggage in 2022 at Philadelphia International Airport represent a record for the most guns caught at the security checkpoint.

“Our TSA officers are good at their jobs in helping to ensure that passengers get to their destinations safely and get home safely,” Philadelphia International Airport TSA Federal Security Director Gerardo Spero said. “Each firearm caught has been discovered during the routine screening of carry-on items at the airport checkpoint. During the first nine days of 2023, already, our officers have prevented two travelers from bringing their guns onto airplanes.”

The TSA indicated 33 of the 44 guns seized at the airport’s security checkpoint last year were loaded. When a TSA officer spots the image of a handgun on the x-ray monitor, the agency immediately alerts the local police, which responds to the security checkpoint and resolves the matter.

“The most common excuse we hear is that someone claims that they forgot that they had their loaded gun with them,” Spero said. “If you own a firearm, you should know where it is at all times. It is part of being a responsible gun owner. Even if a traveler has a concealed weapons permit, firearms are not allowed to board an airplane with the gun in carry-on luggage. The idea is that nobody should have access to a gun during a flight. However, you can transport it with checked baggage if you do so properly.”

According to the TSA, in addition to potential criminal citations, travelers face federal civil penalties for bringing guns to the security checkpoint. Guns can be transported on a flight if they are unloaded, packed in a locked, hard-sided case, and declared to the airline.