Firearm Found In Flight Crew’s Carry-On Items At National Airport: TSA

ARLINGTON, VA — Transportation Security Administration officers discovered a loaded handgun in the carry-on items of a flight crew member at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Friday, according to authorities.

TSA officers found a 9mm handgun loaded with nine bullets, including one in the chamber, among the carry-on items of a female member of a flight crew. Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police confiscated the weapon and cited the woman for bringing a loaded gun to an airport checkpoint.

TSA also notified the airline the woman worked for. The flight crew member faces potential federal penalties of up to $15,000, according to the TSA.

“This was a good catch on the part of our TSA officers as it addressed a possible insider threat situation,” said John Busch, TSA’s federal security director for the airport. “Individuals who work on the secure side of airports and on board aircraft, whether they are members of the flight crew, work at retail shops, work for airlines, or are contractors of a company that does business at the airport are not allowed to bring prohibited items onto the secure side of the airport or onto a flight, especially firearms. We are always on alert for any employees who may have possible bad intentions, which could possibly represent a threat to aviation security.”

People are allowed to travel with their handguns, but the handguns must be properly stored in their checked baggage and declared at check-in. In addition, handguns must be stored unloaded in a hard-locked case, with ammunition stored separately. The hard-locked case must be brought to the airline check-in window, where it will be checked with the traveler's baggage.

TSA has more information available online for people traveling with firearms.

“This was an excellent catch on the part of our officers,” Busch said. “Members of flight crews are subject to security screening, as are travelers.”

To transport a firearm for a flight, it must be unloaded, packed in a locked hard-sided case and declared at the airline counter so it can be placed in the belly of the aircraft with the checked baggage.

Including the handgun found on Wednesday, TSA officers have detected a total of 36 firearms at Washington National in 2024. Thirty-nine firearms were stopped at the airport in 2023, which was 10 more than the previous year.

TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website. To transport a firearm for a flight, it must be unloaded, packed in a locked hard-sided case and declared at the airline counter so it can be placed in the belly of the aircraft with the checked baggage.