NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Mike Osborne) -- The number of gun confiscations reported at Nashville International Airport continues to rise, in spite of the dramatic reduction coronavirus related drop in the number of air travelers.
It’s part of a larger trend. The Transportation Safety Administration says, nationwide, it’s confiscating guns at three times last year’s rate, even as the number of passengers screened has fallen by some 75 percent.
TSA says it saw gun confiscations rise by one-third in Nashville between June and July alone. A total of 97 guns were seized at BNA during 2019. Nashville routinely makes TSA’s list of top ten airports for gun confiscations.
The agency says roughly 8 out of ten guns found in carry-on luggage are loaded. TSA says most passengers found in possession of a handgun had no ill intent, but simply forgot it was in their carryon luggage.
Guns can be carried in checked baggage if packed according to federal regulations.
Earlier this year a Nashville TSA spokesperson told WMOT that, in addition to whatever criminal penalties Nashville Police impose, passengers found carrying a weapon will also face stiff federal penalties that range from $2,400 to $4,000.
