TSA agents seized 6,542 guns at US airports last year

A record 6,542 weapons were confiscated at American air hubs in 2022 – about 18 guns each and every day of the year

The number of firearms seized by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents at US airports has steadily risen each year since 2010, with the exception of pandemic-interrupted 2020.

And, according to TSA, last year was not an exception. A record 6,542 weapons were confiscated at American air hubs in 2022 – about 18 guns each and every day of the year.

The majority of the gun interceptions at US airports last year happened in states with loose firearm laws. Three airports in both Texas and Florida accounted for six of the ten airports which saw most guns interceptions last year.

“What we see in our checkpoints really reflects what we’re seeing in society, and in society there are more people carrying firearms nowadays,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said.

While illicit intentions were certainly the case out in some instances, analysis of the firearms interception spike shows that in most instances travelers simply forgot that they had a gun on their person or in their luggage when flagged by security.

Nonetheless, the discovery of an unreported gun on an airport checkpoint X-ray machine can greatly delay other passengers while the problem is being dealt with by TSA agents.

“It’s disruptive no matter what,” flatly stated former TSA official. “It’s a dangerous, prohibited item and… you should know where your gun is at, for crying out loud.”

The potential consequences for a passenger trying to smuggle a firearm past airport security, whether they know it’s in their possession or not, vary depending on state or local laws. Some perpetrators can be arrested and have their gun seized, while others are permitted to pass a weapon to an acquaintance not accompanying them on the flight.

TSA Federal Security Director Arden Hudson warned American travelers if they are going to travel with a firearm, it must be secured in a checked bag, and they must be certain they know “exactly what the gun laws are on each side of your trip.”

According to the latest study, 46% of US households own at least one firearm. The number of privately-owned guns in the United States of America is currently estimated to be around 466 million.