MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — Transportation Security Administration officers prevented a New Hampshire man from boarding a flight with a loaded handgun at Harrisburg International Airport over the weekend, the TSA said Monday.
The man, a resident of Lee, New Hampshire, was stopped by officers at a security checkpoint, the TSA said. He was carrying a .40 caliber handgun loaded with nine rounds in his carry-on bag, according to the TSA.
The X-ray unit at the security checkpoint alerted the TSA officer to take a closer look inside the man’s backpack, which was opened by police for a closer inspection, the TSA said.
Guns are not permitted through the security checkpoint and now the man faces a stiff financial civil penalty, the TSA said. The penalty for carrying weapons can reach a maximum of $15,000.
“Our officers are good at their jobs and are staying vigilant to keep all travelers safe and secure during this very busy summer travel season,” said Karen Keys Turner, TSA’s federal security director for the airport. "Airports are congested, people are eager to travel and this is no time to be carrying prohibited or illegal items in your carry-on bag.
"Gun owners have a responsibility to know where their firearms are at all times and know that they should not be in a carry-on bag. It is concerning that most people who are stopped at TSA checkpoints with a firearm tell us that they forgot that they had it with them. Travelers need to come to the airport prepared to go through the security screening process and that means knowing the contents of their carry-on bags and knowing that there are no prohibited items inside.”
Passengers are only permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage, the TSA said. Firearms must be unloaded, then packed in a hard-sided locked case, which 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.
Saturday's incident marked the sixth gun stopped at the security checkpoint at HIA so far this year, the TSA said. Nationwide, more than 3,000 guns have been stopped at airport checkpoints by TSA officers so far in 2023.
Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality and gun owners have a duty to ensure they are not violating any local firearm laws, the TSA said. Additionally, contacting the respective airline could reveal any additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.
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 gun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on mitigating circumstances. This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because a concealed carry permit does not allow a firearm to be carried onto an airplane.
The complete list of civil penalties is posted online.
Last year, 6,542 firearms were caught at 262 out of 430 airport security checkpoints nationwide. Eighty-eight percent of those guns were loaded.
