TSA seizes antique pistol at Philadelphia international checkpoint

The antique pistol seized by the TSA at Philadelphia International Airport on Sunday. (courtesy of TSA)

A man was cited by police Sunday at Philadelphia International Airport after Transportation Security Administration agents detected an antique revolver among his carry-on luggage at one of the airport's security checkpoints. The old revolver was among clothing and was not loaded, the TSA said.

“This individual learned a hard lesson about the proper way to carry a firearm on a flight,” said Gerardo Spero, TSA's federal security director for the airport. “You just don't throw a gun in a carry-on bag with your clothes, even if it's unloaded. Now, in addition to being charged with a criminal citation by police, the man also faces a hefty civil financial penalty for bringing a firearm through a TSA security checkpoint.

The agency said the traveler was from Middletown, Pennsylvania, but did not specify which Middletown it was. There are five, including the one in Delaware County.

The TSA did not say whether Tinicum City or Philadelphia police cited the traveler.

When TSA agents detected the handgun, the man told authorities he had received the antique pistol as a gift from his father, the agency said.

The penalty for carrying a weapon can reach up to $15,000, depending on the circumstances.

The agency said it was the 15th firearm seized at the airport this year. This would be a delay from the last two years, when the annual totals were 44 and 45 respectively.

These seizure numbers in 2022 and 2023 were the highest of any airport in Pennsylvania, but Philadelphia International is the seventh-largest airport in the country in terms of number of travelers, nearly three times the number of passengers that pass through Pittsburgh International , which is the second. most in the state.

Some Southern airports see five to six times more guns seized in a year than PHL. Some people use an average of one weapon per day.

TSA Instructions for Carrying a Firearm on a Flight:

The TSA posts details on how to travel with a firearm and ammunition on its website. Laws on gun ownership vary by state and locality and passengers should do their homework to ensure they are not violating any local gun laws. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.

Bringing a firearm to an airport checkpoint results in a federal civil penalty, as TSA reserves the right to impose a civil penalty on individuals who have firearms and gun parts with them at a checkpoint.

Civil penalties for bringing a firearm into a checkpoint can run into the thousands of dollars, depending on extenuating circumstances. This applies to people with or without a concealed carry permit, because a concealed carry permit does not allow a firearm to be carried through a checkpoint.

The full list of civil penalties is posted online. Additionally, if an armed traveler is a TSA PreCheck member, that person will lose their PreCheck privileges.

Not sure if an item should be packed in carry-on baggage, checked baggage, one or the other, or neither?

Download the free myTSA app, which features a convenient “What can I bring?” » feature that lets you grab the object to see if it can fly. Or ask on Twitter or Facebook Messenger at @AskTSA.

Travelers can submit a question by texting “Travel” to AskTSA (275-872).