TSA: DFW Airport had second highest number of gun seizures in 2022
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) — According to new figures released by the TSA, DFW Airport had the second highest number of gun seizures in the country over the course of 2022.
The TSA said that 385 guns were found in travelers' carry-on luggage as they passed through DFW International Airport last year, coming in second only to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport, which topped the list with 448 seizures. Houston's George Bush International Airport came third with 298, Nashville International Airport was fourth with 213, and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport was fifth with 196.
Orlando International Airport, Denver International Airport, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, and Tampa International Airport rounded out the top 10.
DFW Airport - the largest in North Texas - was also the leader in firearms seizures across the region, which in totaled numbered 521. Dallas Love Field was a distant second with 127 total seizures. The remaining nine confiscations were in Abilene Regional Airport (5), East Texas Regional Airport (1), and Tyler Pounds Regional Airport (3).
The TSA said that over the course of 2022, over 27 million travelers were screened in North Texas airports alone, making the number of firearms seized per passenger 53,171 - nearly twice as high as the national statistic of one gun seized for every 116,394 travelers screened.
Officials explained that firearm seizures are carried out by local airport police after a gun is identified on an X-ray screen at a security checkpoint. Guns - including replicas - are only allowed to be stored in checked bagged, must be unloaded, packed in a locked, hard-sided case, and declared at the ticket counter. Even travelers with concealed carry permits are not allowed to bring guns in their carry-ons.
What ultimately happens to the gun and the traveler is up to airport law enforcement, but the TSA can level a civil penalty against the passenger depending on whether the firearm was loaded and whether they were also carrying ammunition. The traveler may also have the Trusted Traveler status and TSA PreCheck clearance revoked for a time depending on how serious the offense is and whether they are repeat offenders.
The TSA also encouraged travelers to check guns laws at their destination and make sure they follow local and state laws as well as airline-specific requirements. They offer additional information about traveling with firearms and about civil penalties for prohibited items on their website.
If you are not sure whether an item is allowed on an airplane, you can the "Can I Bring?" tool on the TSA website and myTSA mobile app to check. Travelers can also tweet or message "@AskTSA" on Twitter between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. CST on any day of the week.