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"The gun was spotted inside the man’s carry-on bag by a TSA officer who was staffing the checkpoint X-ray monitor," said Lisa Farbstein of the Transportation Security Administration in Washington, DC.
Port Authority seized the 10-shot 9mm SCCY CPX-2 pistol and took the man into custody, Farbstein said.
"This is nothing new,” said Thomas Carter, the TSA’s federal security director for New Jersey. "It’s 2022 and the law regarding the prohibition of guns in airplanes has been in place for decades.
"Let me be perfectly clear: Guns are not permitted to be carried onto planes. Not if they are loaded. Not if they are unloaded. Not even if you have a concealed carry permit," Carter said.
"Under no circumstances are travelers permitted to bring guns through our security checkpoints," he said.
Passengers can travel with firearms only in checked baggage and if they're properly packaged and declared at their airline ticket counter, Farbstein said.
Firearms must be unloaded in a hard-sided locked case that's packed separately from ammunition, she said.
The locked case should 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: Transporting Firearms and Ammunition (TSA.gov)
Civil penalties for bringing a handgun into a checkpoint can stretch into the thousands of dollars, depending on various circumstances, Farbstein said. This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits.
You can find the penalties here: Civil Enforcement (TSA.gov)
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