Record number of guns found at Charlotte's airport in 2023

Why it matters: Charlotte's airport is one of the busiest in the world, with a record 53.4 million passengers last year.

By the numbers: TSA discovered a record 124 firearms at CLT last year. North Carolina saw a decrease from 250 in 2022 to 236 in 2023.

• TSA discovered 6,737 firearms at airports nationwide.

What they're saying: Many passengers say they forgot they were carrying a firearm in their carry-on, NPR reported.

• "It also reflects a wider trend towards increased gun ownership and state and local laws," TSA spokesperson Alexa Lopez told NPR.
• A representative from CLT did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Zoom out: As the state's two dominant airports, Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham International Airport account for the bulk of the firearms found. RDU saw a slight increase from 74 firearms in 2022 to 76 in 2023.

• Asheville Regional Airport saw a decrease in firearms found, from 25 in 2022 to eight in 2023.

Of note: TSA immediately notifies the local airport law enforcement agency when a firearm appears on an X-ray screen. Law enforcement removes the firearm from the X-ray tunnel and contacts the traveler. Next steps are determined by law enforcement.

Tidbit from Axios Atlanta: An Alabama store called Unclaimed Baggage contracts with airliners and resells items travelers abandon or lose.