How does this happen? You’d think a gun would be easy enough to spot.
Passenger takes gun on flight from United States to Japan after airport security bungle
37 minutes ago
Posted
Photo: The passenger managed to pass through airport security with a firearm undetected (AP: John Bazemore)
An unsuspecting traveller who forgot a gun was in their carry-on luggage was able to take the firearm on an international flight due to an airport security bungle, the US Transport Security Administration (TSA) has confirmed.
Key points:
- The error occurred because standard procedures were not followed, TSA says
- Authorities were only alerted to the bungle after the passenger arrived in Japan
- The Transport Security Administration has rejected suggestions staff shortages were to blame
The passenger boarded a Delta flight from the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to the Tokyo Narita International Airport in Japan on January 3 when the error occurred, according to CNN.
“TSA has determined standard procedures were not followed and a passenger did in fact pass through a standard screening TSA checkpoint with a firearm,” it said in a statement to the media outlet.
The passenger had forgotten the firearm was in their carry-on luggage, the administration said, and alerted authorities upon their arrival in Japan, which maintains strict gun laws.
It is not known what happened to the gun or if the passenger faced any consequences.
The error comes amid a national shutdown that has seen more than 50,000 airport security screeners required to work despite the agency’s inability to provide regular pay.
However, authorities have been quick to dismiss suggestions staff shortages were to blame for the security lapse.
“The perception that this might have occurred as a result of the partial government shutdown would be false,” the statement said.
It said the national unscheduled absence rate of TSA staff on January 3 was 4.8 per cent compared to 6.3 per cent on the same day last year.
The Transport Safety Administration has moved to assure travellers flying is still safe despite the shutdown.
“Security standards have NOT and will NOT be compromised,” assistant administrator for public affairs Michael Bilello wrote on Twitter.
“TSA has and will continue to maintain security standards at our nation’s airports.”