FORT LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) - Transportation Security Administration officials across the state are warning travelers to leave their guns at home before making their way to the airport.
Officials said 420 guns have been intercepted at airports throughout Florida this year, and as the holiday season approaches, TSA agents want passengers to travel without them.
“Airports and airplanes and firearms do not mix,” FLL spokesperson Greg Meyer said.
As of Tuesday, 76 guns were confiscated at Orlando International Airport, 83 were brought into Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, and 33 guns have been confiscated at Miami International Airport in 2019. Ten guns were found at FLL in October, TSA officials said.
FLL has launched a campaign called “Pack the fun, no carry-on gun,” to bring awareness to the dangers and penalties of traveling with a gun.
“You could receive between a $4,000 to $13,000 financial penalty, or you could also end up in jail if you don’t have a concealed carried weapons permit, and you get caught with a firearm here, you’re going to jail,” Meyer said.
Passengers like Taylor Poole, who is traveling from Georgia, said the high numbers of guns are alarming.
“We have kids running around,” Poole said. “You have older people who can’t just get away quick enough if something does happen.”
TSA officials are advising travelers if they decide to bring their firearm in their carry-on, they might be heading to jail instead of their vacation destination.
“We’ve seen what it can do in the past,” traveler Ashley Gray said. “We’ve had gun accidents and stuff, and it’s just scary. It makes you scared to want to bring your kids or your family on trips anymore. I pray and hope that all this gets better. I mean, maybe you won’t have to worry about that anymore, and you can learn from the past and move on.”
TSA spokesperson Sari Koshetz said even if armed travelers are not arrested or cited on criminal charges, they can still receive a civil penalty of $13,000 or more.
Those who bring their guns with them to the checkpoints not only make the screening process longer for themselves, but the entire line as well.
Forgetting to remove prohibited items, including knives and brass knuckles, can result in a pat-down by TSA agents.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.