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The 9mm handgun had a bullet in the chamber when a Transportation Security Administration officer spotted it in the X-ray monitor on Friday, Feb. 11, TSA Spokesperson Lisa Farbstein said.
The woman, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, told officers that "she was running late for her flight and forgot that she had the loaded gun in her handbag," Farbstein said.
Port Authority police responded and arrested her on weapons charges, Farbstein said.
“If you own a firearm, you need to know where it is at all times and take care to ensure it is not inside one of your carry-on items when you walk up to a TSA security checkpoint,” said TSA Federal Security Director for New Jersey Thomas Carter. “It’s important to remove firearms and ammunition from carry-on bags every time you fly.”
Passengers can travel with firearms only in checked baggage and if they're properly packaged and declared at their airline ticket counter, Farbstein noted.
Firearms must be unloaded in a hard-sided locked case that's packed separately from ammunition, she said.
The locked case should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website: Transporting Firearms and Ammunition (TSA.gov)
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Civil penalties for bringing a handgun into a checkpoint can stretch into the thousands of dollars, depending on various circumstances, Farbstein said. This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits.
You can find the penalties here: Civil Enforcement (TSA.gov)
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