MOSINEE, WI (WSAU) — TSA officials are reminding airplane passengers of the proper procedures for flying with a firearm after a loaded gun was found in a passenger’s carry-on bag this week.
It happened Monday evening when baggage screeners found the loaded firearm and immediately notified police. The unidentified passenger now faces a fine of between $4,100 and over $13,000 depending on the severity of the offense.
“This was a very good catch on the part of our officers at a time when we are seeing an increase in travel volume,” Wisconsin TSA Federal Security Director Mark Lendvay said in a press release. “This traveler made a careless and costly mistake.”
It is not illegal to take a handgun with you while flying, though there are proper procedures for getting the gun on the plane. That includes storing the unloaded weapon in a locked box inside a checked bag and separating the firearm from any ammunition. The gun must also be declared when checking the bag.
The passenger, a Stratford resident, does have a concealed carry permit.
This is the first loaded handgun that was caught by TSA screeners in over a year.
