Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport has for years led the country in the number of guns detected at security screening, with the most firearms found as well as a higher-than-average rate among passengers.
In the first nine months of the year, there were again more guns found at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints at Hartsfield-Jackson than at any other airport.
But the rate of firearms found among passengers at the Atlanta airport declined slightly, according to TSA.
The agency detected 328 firearms at Hartsfield-Jackson from January through September, according to Robert Spinden, federal security director in Atlanta for TSA.
In Atlanta, that’s more than one per day. Nationwide, 5,028 firearms had been detected in the first nine months of the year, or more than 18 per day. More than 93% of the guns found are loaded.
“The vast majority of the passengers that are caught with firearms at our checkpoints tell us that they simply forgot that it was there,” Spinden said. “I think as people are getting ready for the day, it’s so commonplace to grab your cellphone, your keys, your wallet and your firearm.”
If the rate of gun detections this year in Atlanta continues, the year could end at roughly the same number of firearms as was detected last year, which was 451, Spinden said. But because there are more passengers coming through Hartsfield-Jackson this year than last year, that represents a lower rate.
In 2023, TSA detected about one firearm for every 59,000 passengers in Atlanta. This year so far, the rate has declined to about one for every 68,000 passengers.
This year has been the busiest year ever at security checkpoints, Spinden said.
Long lines at security checkpoints
Last Sunday, Oct. 20, was one of the busiest days ever at Hartsfield-Jackson, Spinden said.
Fall break ended for many schools with families returning from trips and a weekend of big sporting events in Atlanta was wrapping up, including Georgia Tech vs. Notre Dame at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday and the Falcons playing the Seahawks there on Sunday.
That generated some extremely long lines at airport security checkpoints on Sunday and Monday.
TSA screened more than 105,000 passengers on Sunday at Hartsfield-Jackson, making it the eighth busiest day ever, Spinden said.
Exacerbating the wait times, some screening equipment broke down at the South and Main checkpoints, he said.
With particularly heavy volumes of TSA PreCheck trusted traveler program members lining up for screening, TSA temporarily converted some lanes at the Main checkpoint into PreCheck screening, Spinden said.
Monday morning brought another day of long wait times at Atlanta airport checkpoints. Spinden said TSA temporarily converted 10 of 18 lanes at the Main checkpoint into PreCheck lanes, in addition to the nine lanes at the South PreCheck checkpoint.
For periods of heavy passenger volume, “We do our best to plan for that, to try to have as many lanes open as possible,” Spinden said. “There were definitely some significant crowds.”
How to properly pack a gun for air travel
TSA says passengers may travel with a firearm, but it must be:
- Secured in their checked baggage.
- Packed unloaded.
- Locked in a hard-sided case.
- Declared to the airline when checking the bag at the airline ticket counter.
Firearms are prohibited at security checkpoints.
TSA warns that if you are caught with a firearm in your carry-on luggage, you could face criminal prosecution. Those who are members of TSA’s PreCheck trusted traveler program would lose PreCheck membership for five years and could face a civil penalty of up to $15,000.
“Each firearm brought to a checkpoint, whether by accident or on purpose, presents a threat to other passengers and our employees, and causes delays for the traveler with the firearm,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske in a written statement.
Source: TSA
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