Colorado Springs, Colorado (KKTV) – Ahead of what airport officials across the country expect to be a very busy spring travel season, the Colorado Springs Airport and the TSA are urging people to check their carry-on baggage for prohibited items.
Every passenger needs to check the contents of their carry-on baggage before leaving home to ensure that no prohibited items of any kind are brought to the security checkpoint. This is especially true for those traveling with a firearm, said Larry Now, TSA’s director of federal security. “The recent increase in the number of firearms detected by TSA officers at COS forces me to make the obvious: One firearm detected at the checkpoint is one firearm too much. Avoid making a mistake, avoid costly civil penalties and pack your firearm discreetly. Correct for travel in checked baggage.
As of March 9, 2022, TSA personnel say they have found nine firearms in travelers’ carry-on baggage, which is on track to be a new record.
“The highest number we had here in Colorado Springs is 15 in 2021; 15 firearms in passenger baggage last year, and we’re nine. So we’re at a rate exceeding that and frankly we have been at a rate exceeding that even before the half-year,” he says. TSA spokesperson, Laurie Dankers.
The latest firearm was reportedly found on Sunday.
Nationwide in 2022, TSA officers discovered more than 975 firearms in passenger carry-on baggage. This is a 43% increase over the figure detected at this point in 2021.
11 News also reached out to the TSA to find out how many firearms were found at Denver International Airport; They say that so far this year 25 firearms have been found in hand luggage.
Here is a summary of TSA’s firearm discoveries from 2018 to 2021:
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 * | 2021 | 2022 ** | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COS . totals | 12 | 4 | 9 | 15th | 9 |
| national totals | 4239 | 4,432 | 3,257 | 5,972 | 975+ |
* The number of passengers screened nationally was 39% of last year’s total.
** 2022 data is current as of March 9.
Anytime a TSA officer discovers a firearm in a handbag on an X-ray screen at security, the screening process for everyone stops while local law enforcement is called to the airport.
A law enforcement officer will take control of the firearm and remove the passenger and weapon from the checkpoint.
“Its TSA’s job is to find the firearm, keep it away from the sterile area of the airport, and keep it away from the plane. The job of law enforcement is to determine what penalties the traveler may face,” Dankers says.
In addition to potential criminal citations, the traveler may face civil penalties of up to $10,000. Punishment is determined on a case-by-case basis.
Those who are part of TSA PreCheck and bring a firearm through security in their carry-on baggage are also at risk of disqualification from the program.
How to travel with a firearm on a commercial airliner
Airport and Transportation Security Administration officials say firearms can only be transported if unloaded and packed into a hard-sided locker bag and placed in checked baggage. Ammunition must be placed in its original package.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/VZPKPMDOT5HG7DCVEX3MV4TIWE.PNG)
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/HUG3WFFV35H7BEZUBQJ2IP6CGQ.PNG)
At the airport counter during the check-in process, the passenger must go to the ticket counter to “declare the firearm, ammunition, and any firearm parts.”
Click here for additional TSA information regarding transportation of firearms and ammunition.
For a full list of items you can and cannot bring through airport security, click here.
Copyright 2022 KKTV. All rights reserved.
