The TSA said Monday that it discovered more than 300 cannons in portable luggage nationwide in July, saying it screens about 15.3 guns per million people. That is up from the rate of 5.1 guns per million people in July 2019, although air passenger traffic is down by 75%.
The agency said about 80% of the firearms found in carry-on bags were loaded at checkpoints.
The numbers do not include weapons properly packed in checked baggage. Those weapons must be packed in a secure and sturdy container and declared to airline officials upon inspection. TSA notes that some airlines have additional restrictions on the transportation of firearms and ammunition, and that local laws differ.
Civil fines for those who try to transport a firearm incorrectly through an airport start at $ 2,050 for an unloaded weapon and at $ 4,100 for a loaded firearm. The agency said it also locks up all trusted memberships, such as its TSA PreCheck program, for people carrying a firearm.
TSA Director David Pekoske said in a statement that the spike in gun findings is coming at an already challenging time for airport screeners.
“Travelers need to understand that firearms items are prohibited at airports and in the passenger compartments of aircraft,” Pekoske said. “As hard as we are currently working to limit other risks, no one should have to introduce new ones.”
More than 1,500 of the TSA’s 60,000 employees have tested positive for the coronavirus nationwide. The agency has changed screening process to protect passengers and their officers.
The agency surveyed nearly 832,000 people on Sunday – the first time it saw more than 800,000 people in a day since the pandemic cratered air travel in mid-April.
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