Bringing a loaded, unholstered gun to the Atlanta airport will now allow you to be arrested on the spot

For certain reasons, Americans love bringing guns to the airportand according to the Transportation Security Administration, 93% of weapons found in 2023 were loaded. Apparently the Atlanta Police Department isn’t happy with this trend, so as reported by WSB-TV, he recently announced plans to deal more harshly with people who try to smuggle firearms through security services. Now, if your loaded gun is not holstered, you will be arrested on the spot.

“This is something new that we implemented. If you bring a firearm to the checkpoint with a round in the chamber and the firearm is not holstered, you will be arrested,” Maj. Kelley Collier said in a statement.

It would be understandable to assume that this would already be the policy, but until now, people who attempted to smuggle firearms through security were simply taken to the airport police station and ticketed. fined or subject to summons to appear in court. This policy has done little to stop people from showing up with guns, however, as Atlanta TSA agents have reportedly found 148 weapons so far this year. This is 15 more than had been found at this point in 2023.

As Collier said, it’s not just about the fact that it’s illegal to go through security with guns. WSB-TV“Not only are they breaking the law, but they are also endangering the safety and peace of mind of other passengers.”

This doesn’t mean you can try to sneak your gun through security in a holster, though. You still risk a fine and possibly a citation, but you won’t be arrested or taken directly to jail. That said, you can still fly with a gun if you really want to. It just can’t be in your carry-on. Instead, you’ll need to put it in a locked hard case and declare the firearm to the person at the counter checking you in.