You are NOT allowed to bring a gun onto a plane in your carry on bag. Even if you have a concealed carry permit. You can bring a gun on a plane if it is unloaded and packed in a locked, hard-sided case and the bag is checked. Despite that very clear rule, many people continue to bring guns in their carry-ons. And Florida airports are seeing a lot of them.
The TSA announced in a press release ” Nationwide, TSA officers stopped 6,542 firearms at checkpoints at 262 different airports, surpassing the previous record of 5,972 firearms caught at checkpoints last year. The majority of those firearms (88%) were loaded. ” On average, that’s one gun for every 116,394 travelers screened nationwide. But of course, some airports see more than others.
Last week we noted, Four of the Top Five Worst Airports in the U.S. Are In Florida. At least Florida is slightly better on this list. However, neither of these lists compare to what went down in Atlanta this week:
This lady is just cruising thru the Atlanta airport with a fire extinguisher — blasting folks in the face with it.
— HazeyCazeyTv (@hazeycazeytv) January 18, 2023
pic.twitter.com/JNCEY2hwhH
Florida Airports gun confiscation is on the rise.
The Tampa Bay Times states, “In Florida, TSA officers confiscated a record 854 guns in 2022. That’s a 28% increase from the previous record in 2021.” And it’s not a small deal, either. I’m sure for many of these it was a mistake. But that mistake can involve criminal charges and a fine of up to nearly $15,000. – Careful if you click on the Tampa Bay Times link, you only get three free articles before they start charging you.
So how does Florida rank on people trying to brings guns onto planes? Not as bad as you’d think. Sure, even one is too many, but take a look at what is going on in Atlanta. Below is the ranking, airport, and guns caught by TSA at checkpoints in 2022.