Two guns, one of them loaded, were caught at Philadelphia International Airport checkpoints
Two men attempted to pass guns in their carry-ons through PHL security checkpoints over the weekend.
Officers from the Transportation Security Administration confiscated two guns — one of them loaded — at the Philadelphia International Airport on Saturday after two men tried to bring them in their carry-ons.
A Montgomery County man was transporting a .38-caliber handgun in his traveling bag, according to the TSA. The other man, from Philadelphia, was attempting to travel with a loaded 9mm gun in his gym bag — packed with 21 bullets, including one in the chamber. This was not his first time attempting to travel with a gun in his carry-on: According to the TSA, he “improperly packaged the same firearm while attempting to travel with it in checked baggage” in February.
The guns were detected by X-ray machines at security checkpoints. After a physical inspection of the carry-ons, police confiscated the weapons. Both men, whose names were not released, were stopped by officers in Terminal A, cited by the Tinicum Township police and face up to $14,500 in federal fines.
Gerardo Spero, Philadelphia International Airport TSA’s federal security director, said “it is disappointing to continue to see the frequency in which travelers are bringing their guns to our checkpoints.” So far this year, 40 guns have been caught at the airport’s TSA checkpoints.
“The fact that this is the second gun-related offense by one of the two individuals … is absolutely unacceptable,” Spero said in a statement. “Getting caught one time is one thing, but not learning a lesson from that experience is just unforgivable.”
It’s not illegal to travel with firearms — both man had licenses to carry —but it is unlawful to keep them in your carry-on or pack them loaded. Bringing a gun — including gun parts, frames, receivers, and 3D-printed guns — to an airport checkpoint can result in a federal civil penalty.
Penalties for transporting a firearm on a carry-on bag
Civil penalties for transporting firearms, components, or ammunition improperly can amount to thousands of dollars.
For instance, transporting a loaded gun — any firearm and ammunition that’s accessible to the bag owner — can result in $1,490 to $2,990 in civil penalties, plus a criminal referral.
TSA PreCheck members will additionally lose their PreCheck benefits.
How to properly fly with a firearm
According to the TSA, the proper way to transport a firearm when traveling is unloaded and inside a locked, hard-sided container. The case must be in your checked bag, and it needs to be declared to the airline at the check-in counter.
“The airline will make sure it is transported in the belly of the aircraft so that nobody has access to it during a flight,” Spero said.
Before traveling, the TSA recommends checking state and local laws for your points of departure or destination, and contacting your airline for specific requirements.
If you are unsure of what can or can’t go on your carry-on, the TSA also has a “What can I bring?” feature on its website, is active on X (formerly Twitter) as @AskTSA, or you can ask questions directly by texting “Travel” to AskTSA (275-872).