As air travel numbers soar back up to pre-pandemic figures, a surprising trend has emerged—airports are finding more guns in carry-on luggage than ever before. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, stepping up to an unwelcome spotlight, has set a record for gun seizures in 2023. According to a recent report by the Phoenix New Times, the Arizona hub confiscated a total of 235 firearms, placing it fourth nationwide among airports for such discoveries.
New data released by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reveals a startling escalation in the number of firearms intercepted at checkpoints across the country. A staggering 6,737 guns were sniffed out in just one year, marking the highest figure in TSA's 22-year history. TSA Administrator David Pekoske openly expressed his concern about the prevalence of loaded guns at checkpoints, highlighting the "unnecessary risk" these present. "We are still seeing far too many firearms at TSA checkpoints," Pekoske said in a statement obtained by the ClickOrlando.
A breakdown of the specifics at Sky Harbor shows that of the 235 seized guns, 223 were loaded. The rest were not, with the status of one remaining unclear. Passengers caught with firearms face potential arrest and steep fines, up to $15,000. TSA screened over 858 million passengers in 2023, finding roughly 7.8 firearms per million passengers. Despite the troubling trend, Sky Harbor has seen a surge in passenger traffic and has been recognized by the Wall Street Journal as the nation's top large airport.
Amidst this success, meanwhile, other airports are not far behind when it comes to gun seizures. The list includes Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International with 451 firearms, Dallas Fort Worth International with 378, and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston holding the third spot at 311 confiscations. When a firearm is detected at a security checkpoint, TSA officers move quickly to contact local law enforcement, who then have the responsibility to maybe arrest or cite the violator, as detailed by ClickOrlando.
Orlando International Airport also made the top 10 list, with TSA agents intercepting 164 firearms there in 2023. The agency pointed out that 93% of the firearms seized were loaded. Firearms and ammunition can be legally transported in checked baggage, provided they are unloaded, locked in a hard-sided container, and declared at the airline check-in counter. As the traveling public continues to navigate the skies, the TSA is imploring passengers to adhere to regulations and prevent these dangerous lapses in judgment that lead to weapons in carry-on bags.
