HOUSTON – The Transportation Security Administration wanted to remind passengers they can travel with guns, but they must go through proper procedure before they go to the airport’s security checkpoint.
On Monday, Gerry Phelan showed us what travelers should do.
“We’re gonna to put it in this case, along with its empty magazine, making sure they’re separated along with the rounds you’re going to travel with, making sure those are separated. Once you do that at home, you’re going to place it, not lock it yet, because when you get to the airport, you’re going to talk to that carrier. That carrier is going to provide you a declaration document. Which you want to do is get a firearm declaration from them, fill it out and once you get that filled out, you’re going to go ahead and keep a copy of it, and then you’re going to put the original back into here with this and you’re going to close it up and at that particular point and time, you’re going to close it, you’re going to lock it,” Phelan said.
Phelan said people need to put that box inside their checked bag.
In addition to guns, the TSA encouraged passengers to check their bags for other prohibited carry-on items, including toy guns and knives.
Agents said passengers usually forget those items are inside their bags.
The fine for a loaded gun found at a security checkpoint was $3,000 and $1,500 for an unloaded gun.
The TSA confiscated 81 guns at Bush Intercontinental Airport this year.
For more tips, visit tsa.gov.