Feds find nearly double the number of guns in Charlotte airport last year than in 2020

Last year, the U.S. Transportation and Security Administration found 106 guns at Charlotte Douglas International Airport security checkpoints — nearly double the previous year’s total of 55, federal authorities said Tuesday.

The year marked the first time TSA agents have found more than 100 guns in passengers’ carry-on luggage at CLT, and an almost 40% increase from the previous record of 76 in 2018.

That new record came even as traveler numbers remained lower than normal due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Across the U.S., TSA agents found almost 6,000 guns at security checkpoints last year, up from the previous record of 4,432 in 2019, according to the agency.

And guns were found at a higher rate in North Carolina. Nationwide, a firearm was found for every 97,999 passengers screened — compared to one firearm found for ever 61,275 passengers screened in NC, TSA said in a statement Tuesday.

The agency did not detail the types of guns found at Charlotte’s airport.

Guns aren’t the only weapons TSA agents found and confiscated in carry-on luggage in CLT last year.

In an August news conference at CLT, TSA agents displayed some of the more unusual confiscated items they found, including a stun gun disguised as a cell phone, a cane with a screw-off top concealing a knife and a knife disguised as a children’s comb.

Guns in North Carolina airports

Charlotte Douglas notched the highest total for guns found at airport security checkpoints in North Carolina last year. The Charlotte airport was one of the world’s busiest airports for much of early 2021, according to flight statistics website Information Design.

And in June, CLT was the second busiest airport in the world in number of flights, according to the website.

In total, 254 firearms were found at airports across North Carolina.

Raleigh-Durham International Airport recorded the state’s second highest total, with 100 guns found. There were 33 guns found at RDU in 2020.

Guns were also found last year at security checkpoints at Piedmont Triad International Airport (12), Asheville Regional Airport (15), Wilmington International Airport (6), Fayetteville Regional Airport (4), Albert J. Ellis Airport (5), Concord-Padgett Regional Airport (4) and Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (2).

Nationally, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport reported the highest number of guns found by TSA agents in 2021, with 507 guns found.

That was followed by: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (317), Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (245), Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (196) and Nashville International Airport (163).

Firearms rules at airports

Travelers face potential criminal citations along with a maximum of $13,900 in civil penalties per violation for bringing firearms to security checkpoints, according to TSA.

Firearms are not permitted in carry-on luggage even if the passenger has a concealed weapons permit.

While firearms are allowed on commercial planes, they must be unloaded, packed in a locked, hard-sided cases and placed in checked baggage.

Replica firearms are also prohibited in carry-on luggage, the TSA said.

And passengers transporting guns in checked baggage must declare the firearms and any ammunition at the airline ticket counter, the agency said.