TSA officers prevent local man from bringing a gun onto flight at Norfolk International Airport

NORFOLK, Va. – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Norfolk International Airport prevented a Virginia Beach, Va., man from bringing his loaded handgun onto his flight early this morning (April 18). The gun was loaded with seven bullets.

The gun was caught as the man entered the security checkpoint. The X-ray unit alerted on the carry-on bag, which required a closer inspection. The firearm was removed by the local police, who cited the man on state charges.

The man also faces a stiff financial civil penalty for bringing a gun to a TSA security checkpoint. The penalty for carrying weapons recently increased to a maximum of $15,000.

The case will be forwarded to the Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney for possible criminal prosecution.

"It appears that this traveler skipped a few important steps when he packed his firearm," said Robin "Chuck" Burke, TSA's Federal Security Director for the airport. "The gun was in a hard-sided case, but it needed to be unloaded and then that case needed to be locked and taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared so that the airline representative could ensure that the firearm was transported in the belly of the plane where nobody would have access to it during a flight. That's the proper way to pack a firearm for a trip. If you own a firearm, make sure you do not bring it to a security checkpoint. Remember that a concealed carry permit or enrollment in the TSA PreCheck® program are not exemptions from this policy."

Firearms caught by TSA officers at Norfolk International Airport checkpoints, 2016 to 2023

Year

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

As of 4/18/23

Guns caught at Norfolk International Airport (ORF) checkpoints

14

10

21

15

12

23

27

9

Passengers are only permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage. Firearms must be unloaded then packed in a hard-sided locked case. The locked case must be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.

Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality and gun owners have a duty to ensure they are not violating any local firearm laws. Additionally, contacting the respective airline could reveal any additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.

Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint carries a federal civil penalty because TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. Civil penalties for bringing a gun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on mitigating circumstances. This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because a concealed carry permit does not allow a firearm to be carried onto an airplane. The complete list of civil penalties is posted online. Additionally, if a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck®, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.

Last year, 6,542 firearms were caught at 262 out of 430 airport security checkpoints nationwide. Eighty-eight percent of those guns were loaded.

Unsure if an item should be packed in a carry-on bag, checked bag, either or neither? Download the free myTSA app, which has a handy "What can I bring?" feature that allows you to type in the item to find out if it can fly. Or ask on Twitter or Facebook Messenger at @AskTSA. Travelers may send a question by texting "Travel" to AskTSA (275-872).