NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — If you’re starting to think about taking a trip this summer, the Transportation Security Administration at Louis Armstrong International Airport is reminding travelers of the law, specifically when it comes to traveling with a gun.
Items like magazines and bullets are among the prohibited items some travelers at the New Orleans airport tried to get onto their planes.
As for the gun itself, MSY TSA has already intercepted 15 firearms so far this year.
“During holiday periods, the number of guns passengers bring to our checkpoint rises,” said TSA spokeswoman Sari Koshetz.
WGNO asked one man flying home to Michigan if he knew the proper way to travel with your gun.
“My understanding is you have to lock the trigger mechanisms, so they all come with that, with a padlock, and then put it in a safe, gun safe, and that’s got to be locked up, and then I guess you just check it with your checked bags,” said traveler Ben Bourdeau.
That’s right — secured and checked. If not, you could be fined up to $15,000 if you bring your gun to the TSA checkpoint.
“A friend of mine forgot that they had it with them, and she’s going to have to go to court or had already gone to court, I don’t know the end of the story, but it’s bad news,” said Bourdeau.
Looking ahead, airport officials say they foresee an uptick in the number of intercepted firearms once the permitless carry law goes into effect in July.
“That’s certainly something we talked about and something that we know because we’ve seen it in other airports in other states that have eased the regulations, so yes, we’ll need to repeat this kind of press conference certainly because of that,” said Koshetz.
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