Bradley Is Only Airport in New England to See Drop in Firearms Per Passenger Rate; One Gun Seized in 2020

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at New England airports detected firearms at a higher rate in 2020 than in 2019. At the seven New England airports, TSA caught one firearm for every 434,674 passengers screened in 2020 compared to one caught for every 869,407 passengers in 2019. Nationwide, a firearm was detected for every 99,583 passengers screened in 2020.

TSA officers detected twice as many firearms per million passengers screened at airport security checkpoints nationwide in 2020 compared to 2019, and at a significantly higher rate than any other year since the agency’s inception. Throughout 2020, TSA caught approximately 10 firearms per million passengers screened as compared to about 5 firearms per million passengers screened in 2019.

Boston Logan International’s 11 firearm detections ranked 62nd in the nation and T.F. Green Airport’s 4 firearm detections ranked 110th. While Boston Logan, Bradley International, Portland Jetport and Burlington International all saw declines in the amount of firearms detected, only Bradley International’s firearm per passenger rate declined in 2020, according to the TSA.

There was only one “firearm catch” at Bradley in 2020, compared with 7 in 2019 and 9 in 2018.

At airports across the country, TSA officers discovered a total of 3,257 firearms on passengers or in their carry-on bags at checkpoints, although nationally total passengers screened in 2020 fell by 500 million versus 2019 due to the pandemic.

Of those firearms caught in 2020, about 83 percent were loaded. In 2019, TSA officers stopped a record 4,432 firearms, of which 87 percent were loaded.

“I commend our officers for their commitment to TSA’s security mission by identifying and stopping these weapons at the TSA checkpoints. Firearms are strictly prohibited onboard planes in the passenger cabin,” said Senior Official Performing the Duties of TSA Administrator Darby LaJoye. “Bringing a firearm to a TSA security checkpoint poses a serious risk to TSA officer and passenger safety, and doing so may result in significant fines or arrest.”

Passengers with firearms at checkpoints were stopped at 234 airports nationwide. The top five airports where TSA officers detected firearms at checkpoints in 2020 were: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International with 220; Dallas/Fort Worth International with 176; Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport with 126; Phoenix Sky Harbor International with 124 and Denver International with 104.

Data collected represents the number of firearms caught on passengers and in their carry-on bags at the nation’s TSA checkpoints, according to TSA. Excluded from the data are improperly packed firearms at checked baggage stations, toys, replicas and BB guns.