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Port Authority police confiscated the gun and arrested the Newton, CT man on a weapons charge after the Transportation Security Administration X-ray machine alerted a screener, the TSA's Lisa Farbstein said on Oct. 3.
“The number of individuals who are stopped with guns at checkpoints across the country is staggering," said Robert Duffy, the TSA’s federal security director for the airport. "Nationwide, TSA officers have already detected more than 5,000 firearms at checkpoints across the country this year.
"And we still have three months remaining in 2023."
Those caught armed face criminal charges and fines that can run as high as $15,000, depending on the circumstances, the TSA says. They also bring that entire security checkpoint area to a dead stop until the gun and the carrier are removed.
SEE: TSA Guidelines For Properly Traveling With A Firearm
Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms only in checked baggage if they are unloaded and packed in hard-sided locked cases. The case should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared.
Small arms ammunition (up to .75 caliber and shotgun shells of any gauge) must be packaged in a fiber (such as cardboard), wood, plastic, or metal box specifically designed to carry ammunition and declared to your airline.
Ammunition may be transported in the same hard-sided, locked case as a firearm if it has been packed as described above.
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.
This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits, Farbstein said.
Gun possession laws vary by state, so anyone who wants to travel with one should do their homework.
Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.
Unsure if an item should be packed in a carry-on bag, checked bag, either or neither? Download the free myTSA app.
It has a handy “What can I bring?” feature that allows you to type in the item to find out if it can fly.
Or ask on Twitter or Facebook Messenger at @AskTSA. Travelers may also send a question by texting “Travel” to AskTSA (275-872).
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