In the first quarter of 2024, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials reported a slight drop in the number of firearms found at airport checkpoints, even as the number of passengers scanned ticked upward. According to figures released by the TSA and reported by FOX 5 Atlanta, screeners discovered 1,503 firearms by March 31, which equates to roughly 16.5 firearms per day, similar to the pace of 2023 with 1,508 firearms, or 16.8 per day.
Detection of firearms dipped slightly when compared to the elevated volume of flyers, which surged by nearly 8% from last year's count, with TSA screening over 206 million passengers in the initial quarter of this year. TSA Administrator David Pekoske pointed out the decrease in the rate of passengers found with firearms, which went from 7.9 to 7.3 firearms per million passengers, in a statement obtained by CBS News. Interestingly, more than 93% of the discovered firearms were loaded, as in the previous year.
Underlining the importance of airport security, Pekoske reiterated the agency's stance, "While it is certainly promising that the rate of passengers bringing firearms to the checkpoint has decreased, one firearm at the checkpoint is too many," and highlighted that such incidents slow down the screening process for everyone, as reported by CBS News. The TSA's guidelines for traveling with firearms require them to be unloaded, locked in a hard-sided case, and declared at check-in for placement in checked luggage.
When a firearm is detected at a checkpoint, TSA does not take possession of the weapon, but rather involves local law enforcement who resolve the situation based on local laws. Passengers may face civil penalties of nearly $15,000 and, for first-time offenders, a loss of TSA PreCheck eligibility for five years, according to the guidelines posted on TSA's website. Last year, the most guns were seized at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, per TSA data, with Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport trailing closely.
For passengers seeking information on how to travel with firearms, the TSA points toward resources like the "What can I bring?" feature on the MyTSA app and contact options such as Facebook Messenger, X, and phone lines which provide guidance outside the standard weekdays, including 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET on weekends and holidays. Detailed advice and potential penalties are also laid out on the TSA.gov website.
