Daniel Velez, the Transportation Security Administration spokesperson for New England, was at the Portland International Jetport Tuesday to give travel tips to passengers and explain how to properly travel with a firearm and other weapons. Weapons on the table were all surrendered to the TSA at the jetport when they were discovered in passengers’ carry-on luggage. Michele McDonald/Photo Editor
Maine airports saw a significant increase in the number of people trying to bring guns through security this year.
There have been 14 cases of people trying to bring firearms through security at airports in Portland, Bangor and Augusta so far in 2023 – double the number reported for all of 2022, according to data from the U.S. Transportation Security Administration.
At the Portland International Jetport, there have been nine firearm detections, compared to three last year. Bangor International Airport has seen four incidents, compared to three last year, and the Augusta State Airport has had one incident – the same as last year.
Other airports around New England and nationally are seeing the same uptick.
“We’re seeing every year the firearm detections at New England airports are tending to go up,” said Daniel Velez, New England spokesperson for the TSA.
At New England airports, there have been 52 firearm detections this year – with a little less than two weeks left in the year – compared to 47 in 2022.
Nationally, more than 6,000 firearms have been detected so far this year, compared to 6,500 last year. “We’re close to breaking it and we will break it,” Velez said.
He said the trend seems to be driven by two factors: More people are buying firearms and more people are flying again since the COVID-19 pandemic suppressed flight numbers.
The jetport reported this week that booked holiday travel is up more than 6% this year compared to last year.
The TSA allows people to travel with firearms, but guns can’t be carried through security. They must be in checked baggage, in a hard-cased container and the container must be locked. The firearm cannot be loaded, ammunition must be packed separately and the firearm must be declared to the airline.
If a person tries to bring a firearm through airport security, TSA agents contact local police, who will decide whether to allow the person to return the firearm to their vehicle or leave it with a family member or if there are grounds to confiscate the firearm and take other enforcement action.
The TSA has the authority to levy fines of up to nearly $15,000 for bringing a firearm to a federal security checkpoint, Velez said.
Velez was at the Portland International Jetport on Tuesday to share information about safe winter travel and what is and isn’t allowed through airport security. He also advises travelers to travel with gifts unwrapped during the holiday season.
“If it goes through and there’s something in the gift we can’t identify, we’re going to have to unwrap your gift,” he said. “We feel bad about it, but it’s something we have to do, so we try to get folks to put things in a box that can easily be opened, have it in a gift bag or check it.”
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