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A Transportation Security Administration officer spotted the unloaded .38-caliber Sig Sauer P238 pistol in a carry-on bag as it passed through the checkpoint X-Ray machine’s monitor at the Queens, NY airport, the TSA's Lisa Farbstein said.
Officers immediately alerted the Port Authority police, who detained the Darien man for questioning before arresting him on weapons charges, she said.
Travelers cannot carry guns onto planes under any circumstances, Farbstein noted. You can travel with firearms only in checked baggage and if they're properly packaged and declared at their airline ticket counter, she said.
Firearms must be unloaded in a hard-sided locked case that's packed separately from ammunition, she added.
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)
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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