Charlotte airport gun seizures spike. Here’s the No. 1 reason, federal officers say.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport saw more guns seized at security checkpoints the first half of the year compared with the same period in 2022, federal officials said Wednesday.
Agents with the Transportation Security Administration confiscated 66 firearms through June at Charlotte Douglas compared with 52 the first half of last year, according to TSA figures. Security officers found 117 firearms in all of 2022 at the airport, the figures show.
Charlotte’s airport is an American Airlines hub and one of the busiest airports in the world.
At least 90% of the firearms seized this year during routine baggage screening at Charlotte Douglas were loaded, TSA spokesman Mark Howell told The Charlotte Observer. That number is in line with national figures, as 92% of the 3,251 guns confiscated at airports across the U.S. through June 2023 were loaded.
Most of the firearms were ”personal-type handguns — 9 mm or revolvers,” Howell said.
And every passenger gave a similar excuse, he said: “Oops, I forgot it was in my bag” and “Sorry, man, I forgot to take it out” before packing the carry-on.
Regardless of the sob story, anyone with a loaded gun found in their carry-on is whisked off to an interview room at the airport to be questioned by Charlotte-Mecklenburg police, Howell said. The passenger loses their TSA PreCheck status for five years, he said, and faces a civil penalty of up to $15,000 and possible arrest.
More people are flying, which largely explains the increase in firearms found at check points, Howell said. More guns in society could also factor into the higher numbers, he said.
At airports statewide, TSA officers found 130 firearms in carry-ons the first half of the year, according to the figures. That represented “a small increase” over the first six months of 2022, according to a TSA news release.
One firearm was seized at Concord-Padgett Regional Airport through June compared with two in the same period of 2022, according to the TSA figures. .
Passengers who want to travel with a firearm must properly pack it in their checked baggage and declare it at the airline ticket counter.
Travelers also can use the “Can I Bring?” feature on the TSA website and on their mobile app, myTSA.
And they can tweet or message the TSA @AskTSA with a travel question or if they’re unsure an item is allowed through security in a carry-on bag. Snap a picture or send a question and get real-time assistance 8 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays.
This story was originally published July 12, 2023 at 5:24 PM.