The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has reported a spike in the number of firearms intercepted at airport security checkpoints across the nation with more than 6,700 weapons detected in 2023, making this the highest one-year total in the agency's history. Of those, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport accounted for a record number of 235 firearms seized, with 93% being loaded.
In a troubling trend, TSA officials continue to express concern over travelers bringing loaded guns to checkpoints. "We are still seeing far too many firearms at TSA checkpoints, and what's particularly concerning is the amount of them loaded, presenting an unnecessary risk to everyone at the TSA checkpoint," TSA Administrator David Pekoske told TSA's press release. This comes despite increased efforts to educate the public on safely transporting firearms during travel.
As noted by a TSA spokesperson, Patricia Mancha, "We’re happy our officers are doing their job, are able to find these guns using a lot of technology, x-ray imaging, our dogs,” as reported by Arizona's Family. Mancha stresses the importance of passenger awareness and knowing the contents of their bags before arriving at the airport.
The surge in firearm detection has been steadily increasing over the past years. In 2019, TSA seized just 132 firearms at Sky Harbor, compared to the 235 in 2023. Violation of TSA regulations can lead to arrest, prosecution, or a citation, plus civil penalties up to approximately $15,000. "The issue is that it is every traveler’s responsibility to know what they bring to the airport; there’s really no excuse," Mancha further explained.
For those planning to travel with guns, TSA outlines several necessary steps: ensuring the firearm is unloaded, packing it in a hard-sided container with a lock, declaring it at airline baggage check-in, and signing a form to declare ownership. Detailed information on how to properly transport firearms and ammunition, in conjunction with the full list of penalties, can be found on the TSA's official website.
