A Madison County man made things a little more complicated for security officials at Syracuse's Hancock Airport Wednesday morning by trying to board a plane with a loaded handgun. A Transportation Security Officer stopped the man after noticing the semi-automatic weapon in his carry on bag as it passed through the X-ray machine. TSA contacted Syracuse Police, who confiscated the weapon. Officials say there was no impact on airport operations during the busiest travel day of the year.
The Chittenango resident was allowed to catch his flight to Albuquerque...without his gun. He and other travelers face up to an $11,000 fine if caught with prohibited items in carry-on baggage. Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in CHECKED baggage if they are properly packaged and declared.
TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its web site http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/firearms-and-ammunition. Airlines may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition. Travelers should also contact the airline regarding firearm and ammunition carriage policies.
Passengers can review the prohibited items list on the TSA homepage or they can download the free MyTSA application from the TSA homepage. The TSA web site and the MyTSA app have a “Can I Bring?” feature that allows users to type in items they plan to bring on a trip to get an explanation of TSA’s security policies for the item, including whether the item can be taken in carry-on luggage through the security checkpoint, packed in checked baggage, both, or neither. The mobile app is available to download for free at www.tsa.gov.
