Flight crew member busted with gun at Reagan National Airport

ARLINGTON, Va. — A member of an airline flight crew was stopped by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Friday after attempting to bring a loaded gun through a security checkpoint.

The 9mm handgun, loaded with nine bullets — including one in the chamber — was discovered in the person’s carry-on bag during routine screening. TSA officers alerted the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) Police, who confiscated the gun and issued a citation to the flight crew member. The individual also faces a federal civil penalty, which can amount to a maximum of $15,000 for carrying a loaded weapon into a checkpoint.

“This was a good catch on the part of our TSA officers as it addressed a possible insider threat situation,” said John Busch, TSA’s Federal Security Director at Reagan National Airport. He emphasized that individuals working on the secure side of the airport—whether airline crew members, retail employees, or contractors—are held to the same security standards as travelers.

Guns are strictly prohibited from being taken through TSA checkpoints unless specific protocols are followed. To travel with a firearm, passengers must:

Passengers who fail to comply with these rules may face significant penalties and lose TSA PreCheck privileges, regardless of whether they have a concealed carry permit.

The TSA has reported an upward trend in firearm interceptions at Reagan National Airport checkpoints over recent years. Here's a look at the numbers: