It’s safe to say, flying is already fairly stressful, even under normal circumstances. So it’s definitely about time for those bold enough to travel during a pandemic to dial up the number of guns they’re bringing through airport security.
The Transportation Security Administration said Monday at the more than 300 guns found via security screenings represent a three-fold increase in the number of weapons found in July 2019. That’s cast against the number of people flying being down 75 percent. From CNN:
TSA said Monday that it discovered more than 300 guns in carry-on baggage nationwide in July, which it said is about 15.3 guns per million people screened. That’s up from the rate of 5.1 guns per million people in July 2019 even though air passenger traffic is down 75%.
The agency said about 80% of the firearms found in carry-on bags at checkpoints were loaded.
Officers at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport — the world’s busiest — found 27 guns, or nearly one daily, in July.
You might think that, because travel is down, agents simply have more time to go through luggage, but the gun trend has been on the rise for a while now. The agency reported a five percent increase in the number of guns found by agents from 2018 to 2019 as well.
Bringing a gun through security can land you with some hefty fines starting at $2,050 for an unloaded weapon and at $4,100 for a loaded firearm. You can also get kicked off of your TSA PreCheck programs, which I wouldn’t wish upon my worse enemy. There’s nothing less than skipping long lines with the dirty masses at stake here! If you need a weapon as soon as you’re off the plane, travelers can still check an unloaded gun, provided you follow certain protocols.
The TSA is already dealing with the added pressures of COVID-19. Despite expanded safety measures more than 1,500 TSA employees have tested positive for the illness. Things are even tenser with fake outrage over mask requirements. So do everyone, including yourself, a favor: If you’re traveling, make extra sure you don’t have a loaded gun on you.