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Both weapons were loaded, said Transportation Security Administration Spokesperson Lisa Farbstein.
The man was caught with a .380-caliber handgun in his duffle bag as he tried to board a flight on Friday, Aug. 25, Farbstein said.
The shop employee from Newark was caught with a 9mm pistol on her way to work (see photo inset above), she said.
Both were taken into custody by Port Authority police, who also seized the weapons.
The woman also had her credentials confiscated and can no longer work at the airport, Farbstein said.
A total of 14 guns have been caught at Newark Airport so far this year, matching the total for all of 2022, Farbstein said.
In addition to criminal charges, those caught armed face up to $15,000 in civil penalties.
There are other considerations, as well.
That includes bringing an entire security checkpoint to a dead stop until the firearm and the carrier are turned over to PAPD police, said Thomas Carter, TSA’s federal security director for New Jersey.
Claiming you didn’t know the weapon was there doesn’t wash. Just makes you look irresponsible.
“There is absolutely no excuse for bringing a firearm to one of our checkpoints,” Carter said. "Responsible gun owners know this.”
Makes no difference whether or not you have a concealed carry permit, he said.
SEE: Civil Penalties For Trying To Carry A Gun Aboard A Plane
“My best advice is that when you’re ready to pack, start with an empty bag,” Carter said.
This way, he said, “you know with certainty what you’ve got inside and you know that there is nothing prohibited in a side pocket, zippered pouch or just in the bottom of your bag....That goes for backpacks, roller bags, handbags, messenger bags and duffle bags."
You may bring a gun in a checked bag if it's properly packaged and declared at the airline ticket counter, the TSA NJ director said.
Guns must be unloaded, placed in a hard-sided locked case and packed separately from ammunition, he said. The locked case must be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared.
SEE: TSA Guidelines For Properly Traveling With A Firearm
Small arms ammunition (up to .75 caliber and shotgun shells of any gauge) must be packaged in a box made of fiber (such as cardboard), wood, plastic, or metal specifically designed to carry ammunition. That, too, must be declared.
Travelers cannot use firearm magazines or clips for packing ammunition unless they completely enclose the ammunition. Travelers should check with their airline for ammo quantity limits.
SEE: 'I Forgot,' 'I Didn't Know': Guns, Excuses Piling Up At Newark Airport Checkpoints
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