Transportation Security Administration (TSA) | Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that its security screening officers at the two major airports in East Texas Area detected 423 firearms in travelers’ carry-on luggage in 2022. Every one of these firearms was discovered during the routine X-ray screening of carry-on property at the security checkpoint. Nationwide last year, TSA officers found 6,542 firearms at 262 different airports.
TSA continues to set new records annually for the number of firearms discovered in carry-on bags, airports in East Texas are no exception. Below is a summary of TSA firearm discoveries at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), William P Airport (HOU), Jack Brooks Regional Airport (BPT) and nationally for the past five years:
Airport
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
| IAH | 117 | 138 | 126 | 245 | 298 |
| HOU | 73 | 68 | 53 | 80 | 125 |
| BPT | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| East Texas totals: | 191 | 209 | 180 | 327 | 423 |
| National totals: | 4,239 | 4,432 | 3,257 | 5,972 | 6,542 |
In 2022, TSA screened approximately 761 million passengers and crew at airports nationwide. TSA officers across the country discovered firearms in carry-on luggage at a rate of 8.6 firearms per million passengers screened. Stated another way, TSA detected one firearm for every 116,394 travelers screened.
Below is a table summarizing the number of travelers screened for every firearm discovery at East Texas security checkpoints last year.
Number of travelers screened in 2022
Number of travelers screenedper firearm find
| IAH | 16,627,228 | 55,796 |
| HOU | 4,735,799 | 37,886 |
| BPT | 27,159 | 0 |
| East Texas Airports | 21,390,186 | 50,567 |
In addition to potential criminal citations for bringing a firearm in carry-on luggage, TSA can levy a civil penalty again the traveler. Among the factors TSA considers when determining the civil penalty amount include whether the firearm was loaded and whether there was accessible ammunition. Even if a traveler has a concealed weapons permit, firearms are not permitted in carry-on luggage.
Individuals who violate rules regarding traveling with firearms will have Trusted Traveler status and TSA PreCheck® expedited screening benefits revoked for a period of time. The duration of the disqualification will depend upon the seriousness of the offense and if there is a repeated history of violations.
Firearms can be transported on a commercial aircraft only if they are unloaded, packed in a locked, hard-sided case and placed in checked baggage. Any type of replica firearm is also prohibited in carry-on baggage and must be transported in checked luggage.
At the airport during the check-in process, a passenger needs to go to the airline ticket counter to declare the firearm, ammunition and any firearm parts. Prior to traveling, passengers are encouraged to check gun laws and regulations at their destination to ensure they are in compliance with local and state laws. TSA also recommends travelers check with their airline prior to their flight to ensure they comply with any airline-specific requirements.
TSA has additional traveler information specifically related to the transportation of firearms and ammunition. A full summary of TSA’s civil penalties for prohibited items is also available.
TSA reminds passengers to be aware of the contents of their carry-on bag prior to coming to the security checkpoint. TSA has multiple resources available to passengers to help them determine whether an item is permitted in carry-on baggage, checked baggage or not at all.
Travelers can use the “Can I Bring?” feature on the TSA website or on the TSA mobile app, myTSA. Travelers can also Tweet or Message “@AskTSA” if they have a travel question or are unsure if an item is allowed through security in a carry-on bag. Just snap a picture or send a question and get real-time assistance daily from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. PST.
Original source can be found here
