Officers with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) have intercepted a record-breaking 2,653 firearms from carry-on bags in 2015, compared with the previous record of 2,212 firearms detected in 2014.
“The transport of firearms by commercial air in carry-on bags represents a threat to the safety and security of air travelers. Through increased training in detection methods, our officers are becoming more adept at intercepting these prohibited items,” TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger said. “I am proud of the men and women who serve in the TSA and grateful for their hard work in the past year.”
Throughout 2015, TSA made it a priority to improve its security protocols, using the latest technology to improve passenger-identification techniques, as well as strengthen the security systems throughout transportation networks.
Thanks to these efforts, TSA was able to screen over 708 million passengers last year, a 40.7 million increase from 2014. On 178 different occasions in 2015, TSA screened over 2 million passengers in just one day. Agents also screened 12.9 million airport employees.
TSA screened over 432 million checked bags and over 1.6 billion carry-on bags.
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