Brass knuckles, knives and all kinds of guns: Here’s what else TSA found at CLT airport
This year is on track to become a record-setting one for the number of guns found at TSA checkpoints at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, according to Transportation Security Administration officials.
Just on Thursday, TSA agents at CLT stopped another passenger traveling with a firearm, bringing the year’s total to 62 guns found at security checkpoints, TSA spokesman Mark Howell said.
That already surpasses the total number of guns found last year (55 guns) — although passenger traffic was much lower then due to the coronavirus pandemic, Howell said.
This year also is on track to pass 2019 — before the COVID-19 pandemic hit North Carolina. In 2019, TSA agents found 74 guns, he said.
And 2021 is on track to pass the previous record for guns found at CLT: 76 firearms in 2018, Howell said.
TSA agents have collected a number of other prohibited items this year as well, including knives, mace, stun guns and brass knuckles.
“We get hundreds of pounds of prohibited items a month,” Howell said.
And CLT accounts for more than 40% of the guns found in North Carolina airports this year. From January to July 31, some 149 firearms were found in airports in the state, Howell said.
Weapons in disguise
Prohibited items include a number of things disguised to look like everyday objects — from a stun gun disguised as a cell phone, another stun gun disguised as a flashlight, a cane with a screw-off top concealing a knife and a knife disguised as a children’s comb.
Some people may carry these items with them on a daily basis and forget to leave them at home, Howell said.
That’s why passengers should take extra care to search their bags before leaving for the airport.
And airports are seeing an increase in first-time travelers this year, due to low prices on some tickets, Howell said.
Those people should make sure to research what is and isn’t allowed through a TSA checkpoint, he said. More details on prohibited items is available on the TSA website.
What happens when someone brings a gun to the airport?
About 80% to 90% of guns found by TSA agents are loaded, Howell said.
So its a safety concern for agents. TSA agents leave the firerams at the checkpoint until law enforcement comes in to remove the passenger and the firearm, Howell said.
Bringing a gun to the airport can also cause a big hold-up for other passengers waiting in security lines.
And bringing a gun to the airport can be expensive too — it could land you up to $13,910 in civil penalties, Howell said.
Increase in travel
The Charlotte airport saw a deep dive in passenger traffic as the coronavirus pandemic hit North Carolina in early 2020. But travelers have largely returned to the airport in nearly pre-pandemic levels.
“As summer is coming to a close, people are trying to get out and travel after being cooped up from the COVID-19 pandemic,” Howell said.
He recommends passengers returning to the airport arrive at least two hours before their flights to avoid delays.
In June, the most recent month of passenger data available, more than 2.1 million people boarded planes at Charlotte’s airport — a big increase from 783,600 people in June 2020, according to CLT numbers.
June’s total in 2021 was not far off from the total number of passengers boarding planes at CLT for the same month in 2019 — before the coronavirus pandemic. That month, almost 2.2 million people boarded planes at CLT.
This story was originally published August 6, 2021 at 3:30 PM with the headline "Brass knuckles, knives and all kinds of guns: Here’s what else TSA found at CLT airport."
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