A lot of people think the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is security theatre. At times, it might be but overall, they do catch their fair share of criminals. In fact, in 2024, TSA intercepted a total of 6,678 firearms at airport security checkpoints. Almost 7,000 guns were brought through security and the majority of them were loaded.
I wrote about several of those incidents, including these two high profile ones:
–TSA catches House member and others with guns in carry-on luggage at DC airports
–TSA tackles traveler at LaGuardia Airport after he flees with loaded gun in backpack.
It looks like 2025 is off to another doozy of a start as Atlanta News First is reporting that a TSA officer was arrested at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Tuesday after allegedly bringing a firearm past the security checkpoint. According to the Atlanta Police Department, 58-year-old Matthew Gilbert was charged with reckless conduct.
Police responded to the main TSA checkpoint after discovering the firearm, but did not disclose what type of weapon was involved or how it got through the checkpoint. A TSA spokesperson confirmed the incident, stating, “TSA is aware of the arrest of an officer at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Tuesday morning. TSA has zero tolerance for misconduct on or off duty, and the officer involved has been removed from screening status, placed on leave pending further action, based on resolution of the case.”
The statement also emphasized TSA’s commitment to passenger and employee safety, noting that they are working closely with Atlanta Airport Police on the matter. Gilbert was taken into custody and transported to Clayton County Jail.
It’s not clear how much time, if any, Gilbert would spend in jail but my guess is just a few hours. If this happened in another country like Turks and Caicos, the minimum would be 12 years and that’s for just having a single bullet in your bag, not a firearm. Here are a few stories from 2024 of Americans learning the hard way that traveling internationally with a gun or ammo is going to cost you dearly.
KEEP READING
–How to save money with a secret third carry-on
–How to use your wireless headphones to watch in-flight movies
–10 airport security hacks every traveler should know
–How to get the best coach seat on the plane
–The sleep hack every traveler needs to know
Want more travel news, tips and deals? Sign up to Johnny Jet’s free newsletter and check out these popular posts: The Travel Gadget Flight Attendants Never Leave Home Without and 12 Ways to Save Money on Baggage Fees. Follow Johnny Jet on MSN, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube for all of my travel posts.
