The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported on Monday that a record number of US travelers were found carrying firearms last year. TSA agents intercepted 6,542 guns at airports in 2022, with almost all of them loaded. This represents an average of 18 guns seized per day, and is the highest number ever recorded by the agency.
TSA Administrator David Pekoske noted that the figures reflect a wider trend in society, as more people are carrying firearms nowadays. However, Pekoske also stated that the increase in intercepted firearms did not necessarily indicate a corresponding rise in hijackings or terrorist activity, as most gun-toting travelers had simply forgotten they had the weapon.
According to the agency, the number of guns discovered at US airports has risen every year since 2010, with the exception of 2020, when air travel was reduced due to the pandemic.
Last year’s figure represented a 10% increase on the previous record. Atlanta’s airport had the highest number of intercepted guns, with 448 seized, while other airports in gun-friendly states such as Texas and Florida, as well as cities such as Nashville, Phoenix and Denver, also featured prominently.
The TSA has attempted to reduce the number of weapons discovered at airports through a variety of measures, including increasing the fine for attempting to carry a gun on a plane to $14,950 and potentially confiscating the weapon.
The number of weapons found in airport luggage has mirrored the rise in gun ownership in the country, with the National Shooting Sports Foundation reporting a record 16.4 million background checks for firearms sales in 2022. TSA officials have expressed frustration with the situation, as the discovery of firearms in luggage creates significant disruption for airport staff.
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