Vintage replica gun discovered in carry-on bag at Washington airport, authorities say

No, you can’t take a vintage replica firearm on a plane with you, according to Transportation Security Administration regulations.

A traveler leaving Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Thursday brought a vintage gun to the security checkpoint in carry-on luggage, TSA spokesperson Lorie Dankers said on Twitter.

“Replica firearms, including those that are toys, are treated like the real thing and should be transported in checked baggage only,” Dankers said.

Toys and replica guns have to be transported in checked baggage only, according to TSA.

Last week, TSA officers found two loaded firearms in carry-on luggage at the Seattle-Tacoma airport.

“On (May 27), TSA officers discovered a .38 caliber Smith & Wesson Airweight revolver in the carry-on luggage of male traveler ticketed for travel to Boise Airport,” TSA said in a news release. “Around 2:15 p.m., a TSA officer spotted the image of a handgun on the x-ray screen. TSA immediately notified the Port of Seattle Police, which responded to the security checkpoint. The passenger was cited on a state charge and allowed to continue on to his flight.”

Another firearm was found May 26 in a bag of a man who was escorting his grandchild to the gate, TSA said.

At the time, there were 17 firearms discovered at the Sea-Tac airport in 2020, and more than 1,000 in airports nationwide, according to TSA.

“TSA will review the circumstances of the incident and levy a civil penalty against each passenger,” TSA said. “The recommended civil penalty for a firearm starts at $2,000 and can go up to the statutory maximum of more than $10,000 per violation.”