By Jason Clampet and Dan Nguyen
Travelers in the United States are trying to bring more loaded weapons than ever onto airplanes. On average, four travelers per day are caught by Transportation and Security Administration agents attempting to pass through security with a weapon -- and more than three out of four of these guns are loaded.
As of Friday, December 14, the TSA had found 1,464 handguns. Of these, 1,242 were loaded. At the current pace, the TSA will likely cross the 1,500 mark on Christmas Eve, based on data collected and analyzed by Skift. This will be the highest number of guns discovered since the TSA was created following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
The second half of 2012 has seen an increase over gun activity in the first six months: On the National Security Beat, a project of Medill Journalism School, reported in July that 697 guns had been found, 170 of which were not only loaded but had rounds in their chambers.
Out of all U.S. airports, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport had the most guns confiscated at 90. Atlanta's airport is the busiest in the nation, so the high number of guns can be expected. But compared to the number two airport, Atlanta's numbers are high: Chicago O'Hare International, the nation's second busiest airport is ranked 43 in number of guns confiscated in 2012 with only 10 seized.
Below are the top 20 airports by confiscations and their ranking by passenger traffic in August of 2012 (see full table at this link):
Everything's bigger in Texas
As numbers go, though, Texas is the nation's real leader. Two of the state's airports are in the list of the top four offenders -- Dallas/Fort Worth International and George Bush in Houston. Despite only having two airports in the top 30 busiest by enplanements, Texas airports have six in the top 20 in terms of guns seized. The standout is Dallas' Love Field, which is the only airport in the top 35 busiest where agents have found more than seven guns per one million enplanements.
Chart: Airports with 10 or more gun seizures in 2012. Yellow dots represent airports with zero to two guns found per one million enplanements; purple two to five guns; and red pins five or more guns/million. Chart based on data from the TSA and mapped by Skift.
Why not just check the gun?
Depending on the states passengers are traveling between and what type of gun they have, passengers are allowed to bring guns and ammunition on planes, just so long as the unloaded weapons are stored in a hard-locked case in checked luggage and the airline is notified in advance. Some passengers, of course, find that prohibition too limiting. A passenger in Portland, Ore. this summer who was told he couldn't bring his .22 caliber rifle in his checked luggage
so he could get it back upon his return.
A TSA official told ABC News in an interview last year "We don't keep stats on why passengers bring prohibited items to airports but, anecdotally, passengers typically say they forgot it was in their bag."
What happens when you're caught?
Not much.
"All we're permitted to do is confiscate the weapon and call law enforcement agents, who then will take custody of it and determine whether or not you're arrested," a TSA official told the New York Times earlier this fall. Local laws will either result in the ticketed passenger taking the gun back home before traveling or, if they are in a state with more restrictive laws, heading to jail.
Many gun owners are aware of laws in their own municipality, but the rise of gun ownership over the last four years has resulted in what firearms experts have described as a less-educated group of owner/travelers. This is demonstrated by, among other things, the steady rise of guns discovered at TSA airport checkpoints.
Confiscated items that are not weapons are sold by the states that they're collected in. Except in states where the weapon found does not correspond to a concealed carry or other type of permit, the weapon is returned to the owner who is then not permitted to fly until it is removed from the airport.
Even in cases where it appears the flyer may have made an effort to conceal the weapon the TSA will allow the passenger to fly once the gun has been confiscated. In a well-publicized case this summer, a man traveling with his four-year-old son was stopped after a disassembled .40 caliber semiautomatic was found concealed in stuffed animals. After agents decided the weapon was a side effect of a domestic dispute the man was allowed to continue flying.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.