Trigger Warning: The article mentions details about an assault.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) repeatedly reminds travelers of the prohibited items. A checklist has also been issued, but still, some people often ignore it. A Texas woman was caught attempting to board a flight with a loaded handgun at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) on Sunday, June 15. The latest incident is a concerning rise of firearms being detected at airport security checkpoints.
TSA officers discovered the loaded Smith & Wesson .380 handgun during routine screening. The weapon had one round chambered and five more in the magazine. Local police from Londonderry responded immediately and secured the weapon, and the 29-year-old woman missed her flight.
As per The Mirror, though bringing a loaded gun to a TSA checkpoint is not a criminal offence in all jurisdictions, it can result in significant civil penalties. First-time offenders carrying loaded firearms may face fines starting at $3,000 and up to $17,062, depending on the circumstances. While bringing a gun through an airport security checkpoint is not necessarily a criminal offence, the TSA has the authority to impose steep civil fines.
“If you want to travel with your gun, it needs to be unloaded, packed in a locked hard-sided case, and taken to your airline check-in counter so that it is transported in the underbelly of the aircraft,” said John Allen, TSA’s Federal Security Director for West Virginia, in another article by the outlet. These penalties apply even to individuals with concealed carry permits. In addition, anyone caught with a firearm at a checkpoint loses TSA PreCheck eligibility for up to five years.
Meanwhile, this incident is the second time TSA officials have encountered it, with the first at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport this year, despite several attempts to warn passengers to be careful.
“TSA’s mission is to ensure the safety and security of all travellers,” said Elizabeth Selecky, TSA’s Federal Security Director for New Hampshire. “Bringing a loaded firearm through security creates a significant risk and disrupts airport operations. Firearms must be properly packed and declared for checked baggage.”
The incident comes amid a wave of firearm detections at U.S. airports, prompting renewed warnings from TSA officials. Travelers are urged to double-check local laws and TSA rules before heading to the airport. Meanwhile, TSA, the authority known for its robustness, faced scrutiny after an unrelated incident in Florida. A TSA agent at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport was arrested for allegedly attacking a 79-year-old woman.
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As per Broward Sheriff’s Office affidavit, 21-year-old Janiyah Wilson-Robinson strongly pushed the elderly passenger to the ground during a confrontation at a security checkpoint. The senior, who was scheduled to fly with JetBlue, suffered minor bruising and was treated on-site with an ice pack. While she did not require hospitalization, people were upset after the incident.
Wilson-Robinson was charged with aggravated battery on a person over 65 and was later released on a $1,000 bond. Authorities have not disclosed what triggered the altercation. While she did not require hospitalization, she received backlash for the harshness. As firearm detections and security incidents rise, the authorities highlighted knowing and following all travel rules, especially when carrying items that pose possible safety risks.
As of May 2025, authorities have also restricted the use of power banks, cellphone battery charging cases, spare lithium-ion batteries, spare lithium-metal batteries, cellphone batteries, laptop batteries, external battery packs, and portable rechargers in checked baggage while flying.
