Gun Found At Austin Airport Prompts TSA Travelers' Guidance

AUSTIN, TX — Transportation Security Administration discovered an unloaded gun with ammunition in a carry-on bag at the Austin airport, prompting a reminder to travelers on the protocol for checking weapons when traveling.

TSA officials announced the finding in a Saturday afternoon tweet, saying a man had an unloaded nine millimeter gun and a magazine with seven rounds of ammunition in a carry-on bag. Passengers should check their bags before traveling to avoid fines and possible arrest, officials said.

According to the TSA website, unloaded firearms can be transported in a locked, hard-sided container as checked baggage only. Passengers should declare the firearm and/or ammunition to the airline when checking bags at the ticket counter. The container must completely secure the firearm from being accessed, officials added.

Locked cases that can be easily opened are not permitted, officials added. "Be aware that the container the firearm was in when purchased may not adequately secure the firearm when it is transported in checked baggage," TSA officials wrote.

Those with questions regarding firearm regulations are urged to contact the TSA Contact Center for information on what you may or may not transport in your carry-on or checked baggage. TSA officials offer a primer on the agency's website:

Firearms

• When traveling, comply with the laws concerning possession of firearms as they vary by local, state and international governments.
• If you are traveling internationally with a firearm in checked baggage, please check the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website for information and requirements prior to travel.
• Declare each firearm each time you present it for transport as checked baggage. Ask your airline about limitations or fees that may apply.
• Firearms must be unloaded and locked in a hard-sided container and transported as checked baggage only. As defined by 49 CFR 1540.5 a loaded firearm has a live round of ammunition, or any component thereof, in the chamber or cylinder or in a magazine inserted in the firearm. Only the passenger should retain the key or combination to the lock unless TSA personnel request the key to open the firearm container to ensure compliance with TSA regulations. You may use any brand or type of lock to secure your firearm case, including TSA-recognized locks.
• Firearm parts, including magazines, clips, bolts and firing pins, are prohibited in carry-on baggage, but may be transported in checked baggage.
• Replica firearms, including firearm replicas that are toys, may be transported in checked baggage only.
• Rifle scopes are permitted in carry-on and checked baggage.

In January, the TSA reported more firearms at checkpoints nationwide in 2019 than ever before in the agency’s 18-year history. In total, 4,432 firearms were discovered in carry-on bags or on passengers at checkpoints across the country last year — averaging about 12.1 firearms per day — which represents approximately a 5 percent increase nationally in firearm discoveries from the total of 4,239 detected in 2018, officials said. Eighty-seven percent of firearms detected at checkpoints last year were loaded, officials added.

“The continued increase in the number of firearms that travelers bring to airport checkpoints is deeply troubling,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said in a prepared statement at the time. “There is a proper way to travel safely with a firearm. First and foremost, it should be unloaded. Then it should be packed in a hard-sided locked case, taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared, and checked.”

Although Austin-Bergstrom International Airport did not make the top five list, two Texas airports were among those where firearms were caught at 278 airport checkpoints nationwide. The top five airports where TSA officers detected guns at checkpoints in 2019 were: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International with 323; Dallas/Fort Worth International with 217; Denver International with 140; George Bush Intercontinental in Houston with 138; and Phoenix Sky Harbor International with 132.

Graphic via Transportation Security Administration.

Travelers who bring firearms to the checkpoint are subject to criminal charges from law enforcement and civil penalties from TSA, officials said. Even if a traveler has a concealed weapon permit, TSA officials added, firearms are not permitted to be carried onto an airplane. However, travelers with proper firearm permits can travel legally with their firearms in their checked bags if they follow a few simple guidelines to transport firearms and ammunition safely, according to the agency.

Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality. TSA advises travelers to familiarize themselves with state and local firearm laws for each point of travel prior to departure to ensure that they have the proper gun permits for the states that they are traveling to and from. Airlines may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition so travelers should also contact the airline regarding firearm and ammunition carriage policies prior to arriving at the airport.

TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.

As a reminder, individuals who bring weapons to a checkpoint are subject to federal civil penalties of up to $13,000, depending on the weapon. A typical first offense for carrying a handgun into a checkpoint is $4,100. The complete list of penalties is posted online.