HARRISBURG, Pa. — A Lancaster County woman was charged after Transportation Security Administration officers stopped her from boarding a plane at Harrisburg International Airport with a loaded gun in her carry-on luggage, the TSA said Monday.
The incident occurred on Saturday, the TSA said.
The 22.-caliber handgun was loaded with 10 bullets when it was discovered with the woman's belongings at a security checkpoint X-ray machine, according to the TSA.
Officers called Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority Police, who confiscated the handgun and cited the woman on weapons charges.
The woman was a resident of Paradise, the TSA said.
According to the TSA, passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage only if they are properly packaged and declared to the airline. To transport a firearm, it must be unloaded, packed in a hard-sided case, locked, and packed separately from ammunition and taken to the airline check-in counter, the TSA said.
Individuals who bring firearms to the checkpoint are subject to possible criminal charges from law enforcement. Even travelers with concealed firearm permits are not allowed to bring guns onto airplanes in their carry-on bags, according to the TSA.
A typical first offense for carrying a handgun into a checkpoint is a fine of $4,100, the TSA said.
TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.
