The TSA found a record 6,542 firearms in carry-on luggage at 262 different airports in 2022, according to the agency's annual round-up.
Let's put those numbers in perspective: Out of 761 million screenings across the country, 8.6 firearms were found for every million passengers. Put another way, the TSA found one firearm for every 116,394 passengers.
Among the firearms found, the TSA said 88 percent were loaded.
Many of these airports were located across the U.S. South. These are the top 10 worst-offenders:
Austin and Tampa are both new additions to the list. They replaced Louis Armstrong New Orleans International and Salt Lake City International.
Yet southern airports weren't the only ones to see an uptick in gun-toting passengers. New York City airports reported finding 39 handguns at checkpoints in 2022, up from 26 in 2021.
Here's what happens when the TSA stumbles upon a firearm during a security screening. Airport staff will immediately notify local law enforcement officers, who then remove the weapon from the X-ray tunnel and contact the passenger. From there, law enforcement has some discretion based on local laws, but the TSA can in some cases levy a civil penalty.
The agency said it weighs a number of factors when deciding to penalize a traveler, such as whether the firearm was loaded or if there was ammunition accessible nearby. Even if a traveler has a concealed weapons permit, it added, firearms are not permitted in carry-on luggage.
All passengers must declare their firearm during the check-in process.
We know life can be tough sometimes, so we'd like to take a moment to share One Good Thing happening in the world today. While police officers are meant to serve and protect people, one officer in New York helped protect a real-life Bambi.
Be Well: Full Body Beach Workout Routine
Be Well: How Therapy Sessions Can Boost Your Mental Health
A new law that was passed in California last year could change how much people pay for electricity each month. The proposed changes will be based on how much money people make and not on their monthly electricity usage.
A designer is trying to make a case for double-decker airplane seats, showcasing a prototype at an aircraft interiors expo in Germany. His idea made waves last year after he posted it online.
Fourteen wastewater plants in New York City recently showed high levels of COVID-19. This could be a grim predictor for a national COVID outbreak. Cheddar's Ashley Mastronardi spoke to one expert about how to prepare for another wave.
Seven people were shot, two fatally, when gunfire rang out Tuesday outside a downtown theater in Richmond, Virginia, where a high school graduation ceremony had just ended, causing hundreds of attendees to flee in panic, weep and clutch their children, authorities and witnesses said.
Pope Francis was admitted to the hospital for intestinal surgery Wednesday, the latest malady to befall the 86-year-old pontiff who had part of his colon removed two years ago.
Author Seamus Kirst Talks New Children's Book Celebrating Diverse Families
Prince Harry testified in the trial against a British tabloid, accusing The Daily Mirror of hacking his phone to obtain information about him.
