SLC airport tallied record firearm confiscations in 2024
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Salt Lake City International was ranked among the top airports nationally for TSA gun confiscations last year.
By the numbers: A record 122 firearms were seized at SLC's checkpoints, up from 110 in 2023.
- That's the 11th highest count of any airport in the nation.
Threat level: Most of the guns found at airports nationwide were loaded, which threatens the safety of employees and other passengers, per the TSA.
Between the lines: A firearm discovery brings the TSA line to a standstill until police resolve the incident — delaying travelers from getting to their gates.
- People who bring weapons to an airport can face civil penalties that can stretch into the thousands of dollars.
My thought bubble: A guy in front of me left a loaded handgun in his carry-on as I was leaving our Axios 2023 retreat in Charlotte.
- It was, in fact, a hooplah.
Zoom out: The Atlanta airport — the busiest in the U.S. — ranked No. 1 with 440 guns found.