HARRISBURG, Pa. — Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Harrisburg International Airport prevented a Lancaster man from boarding a plane with a loaded 9mm handgun in his carry-on luggage on Monday, the agency announced.
The TSA said it was the fourth incident involving a firearm at Harrisburg International Airport this year.
The passenger was cited on a weapons charge and allowed to return the firearm to his vehicle before boarding, the TSA said.
When officers detected the gun, the checkpoint lane came to a halt until police responded to remove the carry-on bag from the X-ray machine, the TSA said.
The handgun was loaded with 13 rounds, according to the TSA.
“Let this be an important reminder to firearm owners that they should not bring their guns to our checkpoints,” said Gerardo Spero, TSA’s Federal Security Director for Pennsylvania. “Don’t be that guy!”
Spero explained that the proper way to transport a firearm for a flight is to ensure it is unloaded, packed in a hard-sided locked case, and taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. The airline will make sure that the firearm is transported in the belly of the aircraft so that nobody has access to it during the flight.
TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm on its website.
Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint carries a federal civil penalty because TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint.
Civil penalties for bringing a weapon into a checkpoint can reach up to $15,000, depending on the specific weapon and the circumstances the TSA said.
This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because even though an individual may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane.
The complete list of civil penalties is posted online.
Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality and passengers should do their homework to make sure that they are not violating any local firearm laws. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition, the TSA said.
