Know the Rules for Traveling With Your Firearm Before You Head to the Airport

Local Press Release

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

Passengers are reminded to learn the rules for traveling with a firearm before they head to the airport. Travelers should know exactly what is in their bags. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) have already intercepted 64 firearms at the security checkpoint so far this year.

"The safest way to travel is to start with an empty bag to be sure you are not carrying prohibited items before you enter our checkpoint," said TSA Federal Security Director for the State of Louisiana Arden Hudson. "Make sure your firearm is not in your carry-on bag and also check that you do not have a pocketknife or other items that are not permitted in the cabin of the aircraft."

Most items that are prohibited in your carry-on bag can be placed in a checked bag. But anything that is flammable, corrosive, or explosive cannot travel anywhere on the plane. Hand grenades, even replica ones, cannot travel on the plane in checked or carry-on bags.

If you are going to travel with your firearm it must be in your checked bag, unloaded and in a locked hard-sided case. You must declare it to the airline at check-in. Travelers are responsible for being aware of what the firearm laws are on each side of their trip or they may be cited or heading to jail instead of to their vacation or business trip. Firearms may not be legal to transport even in checked baggage in some jurisdictions.

Among the most recent firearms intercepted by the TSA at the New Orleans' checkpoint was a loaded Glock with ammunition chambered on Friday, September 27th when a 27-year-old man headed for Houston entered the checkpoint. On September 20^th a 56-year-old male entered the checkpoint with an AMT loaded with five rounds and separately a 22-year-old woman entered the checkpoint with a Glock loaded with six rounds, one chambered. Both were headed to Orlando International Airport.

"Last year passengers across the state of Louisiana brought 138 firearms to our security checkpoints with 93 of those in New Orleans. So far this calendar year we have stopped 105 firearms across the state with 65 of them here in New Orleans," Hudson said. "We are reminding the public to place their firearms in their checked bags and declare them to the airline."

The specific year-to-date totals across Louisiana are 65 stopped at MSY, 13 at Shreveport Regional Airport, 11 at Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, seven at Lafayette Regional Airport, and three each at Lake Charles Regional Airport, Monroe Regional Airport and Alexandria International Airport .

"Thanks to the experience and vigilance of our TSA officers, each of these firearms was intercepted before they could make it into the cabin of an aircraft," Hudson added.

Many of the passengers across the country who bring firearms to a federal security checkpoint are arrested or issued notices to appear in court. Regardless of whether the individual is arrested or cited by law enforcement, with whom TSA immediately partners, passengers face a civil penalty imposed by the TSA that can reach nearly $15,000. If the traveler is in the TSA PreCheck® program, those privileges will be lost for a period of time, possibly permanently.

The TSA has been screening record-breaking numbers of passengers traveling across the country, so be sure to arrive early and do heed these travel tips for getting through the security checkpoint as efficiently and stress free as possible.

Tip 1: No firearms in carry-ons. Firearms must be in checked baggage. All firearms must be properly packed and declaredto the airline at check-in, which means unloaded and in a locked, hard-sided case. Contact your airline for additional guidance. And it is your responsibility to know what the firearm laws are on both sides of your trip.Tip 2: Leave all prohibited items at home. To reduce the likelihood of a bag search at the checkpoint, search your own suitcase, backpack, computer bag or purse before leaving home. Unsure if it's allowed: use the "What Can I Bring?"link on TSA.gov.Tip 3: Prepare for the security checkpoint. Have a valid ID cardreadily available. If you are traveling with a carry-on bag follow the liquids, gels and aerosols 3-1-1 rule of 3.4 ounces or less for each item and the items should be placed in a one-quart-sized bag, one bag per passenger. To simplify your screening and even before entering the checkpoint it is best to put your phones and any other content of your pockets into your carry-on rather than into a bin in the checkpoint.Tip 4:Help is available. Get live assistance by tweeting your questions to @AskTSAin English or Spanish or via Facebook Messenger. You can also call the TSA Contact Center at 866-289-9673.Tip 5: Enroll now in TSA PreCheck.Travel with ease by enrolling in TSA PreCheck and avoid removing shoes, belts, liquids, laptops and light jackets. Most new enrollees receive a known traveler number within five days, and membership lasts for five years.

###