Passengers returning to NC airports, and more are bringing guns with them, TSA says
Travelers at North Carolina airports were more likely to get caught carrying a gun in 2021 than the year before, the Transportation Security Administration said Tuesday.
The TSA says it found 254 guns on passengers or in their carry-on bags at North Carolina’s 10 commercial airports last year, or one for every 61,275 passengers it screened. That compares to 105 guns in 2020, or one for every 81,715 passengers screened.
Nationwide, the TSA found 5,972 firearms at security checkpoints last year, or one for every 97,999 passengers screened.
The number of people flying through the nation’s airports remains below pre-pandemic levels. But the number of guns found at TSA checkpoints last year exceeded 2019’s total. The TSA found 194 guns in North Carolina airports that year and 4,432 nationwide.
North Carolina’s two largest airports — Charlotte Douglas International and Raleigh-Durham International — accounted for 206 of the 254 guns found in the state last year — 106 at CLT and 100 at RDU.
The TSA screened about 15.6 million passengers at North Carolina airports last year, up 81% from a year earlier. The number of guns discovered grew 142%.
Travelers caught with a firearm at a TSA checkpoint face a civil penalty of $13,900 per violation, even if they have a concealed weapons permit. The agency assesses higher penalties if ammunition is easily accessible or if the gun is loaded.
Travelers could also face criminal charges. When TSA agents find a gun at RDU, they call airport police, who confiscate the weapon and determine whether to press charges. Options range from a civil citation to a felony charge, depending on the circumstances.
It is possible to fly with a firearm, but it must be unloaded and in a locked, hard-sided container as checked baggage. Passengers must let the airline know about the firearm or ammunition when checking the bag at the ticket counter. For more information, go to www.tsa.gov/travel/transporting-firearms-and-ammunition.
If you’re unsure about what other items might or might not be allowed through an airport security checkpoint, go to TSA.gov and click on “What Can I Bring?” in the top right corner. You can also tweet a question to @AskTSA weekdays, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
