Nationwide, law enforcement confiscates thousands of guns, mostly loaded, at airports.
This year in Missouri, 66 guns have been found by TSA officers. Thirty of those were found at Kansas City International Airport.
Here are some TSA dos and don’ts when flying:
- Make sure your gun is totally empty.
- Declare it with your airline.
- Fill out the cards they give you and place them inside your gun box.
- Make sure your gun box is metal or has a hard surface.
- Lock the case. Make sure you're the only one with access to it.
- Magazines and bullets may be in the box, but the gun must be empty.
One tip is to put a business card with contact information on the outside of the box. TSA officers then have a chance to contact you if there is an issue.
TSA regional spokesperson Mark Howell said it's a good idea to wait around the security checkpoint for 5 to 10 minutes in case an officer needs to talk to you.
"Here's what we do first. If you leave it loaded or it's unlocked, the first thing we are going to do is contact the airline. If they aren't able to contact them, we won't let you fly," said Howell.
If airport police get involved it could get kicked up to the FBI, and one could face a misdemeanor federal charge. They could also be fined up to $12,000 by TSA on civil violations.
The national number of guns found at TSA security checkpoints has been on the rise since 2007. From 2015 to 2016, that number went up 28 percent.
