SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Transportation Security Administration officers at Syracuse-Hancock International Airport (SYR) prevented an Oneida County, New York, woman from bringing a handgun onto an airplane Saturday, May 27, when they found the gun in the woman’s carry-on bag.
The passenger, a resident of Utica, New York, was stopped as she was entering the checkpoint. TSA officers detected the.22 caliber handgun as it passed along the conveyor belt inside the woman’s carry-on bag.
Airport law enforcement officers were called to the checkpoint, where they confiscated the firearm.
Individuals who show up with weapons at airport checkpoints cause the checkpoint lane to come to a halt until police arrive and handle the situation.
“This is a prime example of the importance of dedicated officers from TSA performing their detection duties and preventing a handgun from being brought onto a plane," said Bart Johnson, TSA’s upstate New York federal security director.
As a reminder, weapons-including firearms, firearm parts and ammunition-are not permitted in carry-on bags. Travelers who bring firearms to the checkpoint are subject to possible criminal charges from law enforcement and civil penalties from TSA of up to $12,000.
Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are properly packaged and declared. Firearms must be unloaded, packed in a hard-side case, locked, and packed separately from ammunition. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality.
TSA’s website has details on how to properly travel with a firearm. Airlines may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition. Travelers should also contact their airline regarding firearm and ammunition carriage policies.
Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration
