Carrying a Gun through TSA Security at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport

Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is the busiest airport in the world. And in addition to its status as the world’s busiest airport, it also holds the record for the most firearms discovered at airport security checkpoints.

Carrying a gun in your carry-on luggage and attempting to pass it through a TSA security checkpoint at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport carries three potential civil and criminal charges depending on whether you have a concealed carry weapons license for the gun or not. If TSA security finds a gun in your carry-on baggage and you do not have a concealed carry weapons license, Airport police will be called. Your gun will be confiscated. You will be charged with possessing a weapon or long gun at a commercial service airport which is a violation of O.C.G.A. 16-11-130.2, a misdemeanor under Georgia law. And you may be arrested and taken to Clayton County Jail. You will miss your flight. You will also be subject to a civil penalty through the Transportation Security Administration that could be as high as $13,910.

If you have a concealed carry weapons license, you should not be charged criminally. You will be able to leave the TSA checkpoint area and return your gun to your vehicle. You may still be subject to a civil penalty that could be as high as $13,910. The notice of civil violation will be mailed to your address 4-8 weeks after the incident at the airport. You have limited time to respond to that notice. An attorney can help you minimize the civil and criminal penalties associated with carrying a gun through the TSA checkpoint. Call today for a free consultation at 678-753-6431 today.