Airports across the United States reported a record number of firearms seized at security checkpoints in 2018, with many of those weapons found loaded.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport documented 108 incidents in which passengers attempted to pass through security with firearms in 2018, including several loaded weapons. In May of that year alone, the airport confiscated 30 guns.
Nationwide, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) collected more than 1,700 firearms at airports during the first part of 2018. This followed a record total of 3,391 weapons confiscated across U.S. airports during 2017.
“People are so used to having guns with them all the time,” TSA spokesperson Mark Howell said, noting that these incidents are rarely intentional.
First-time offenders typically face a fine of $3,900, although penalties can reach up to $13,000 for more serious violations. The government does not return confiscated firearms; they are generally disposed of through public auction.