DES MOINES, Iowa [WHO-TV] — 16 guns were recovered at the Des Moines International Airport in 2024, doubling 2023’s number and climbing above the national average. According to Jessica Mayle with TSA Public Affairs, TSA agents are recovering less guns each year with national totals continually dropping over the past few years. However, the Des Moines International Airport isn’t following that trend. In 2024, 16 guns were recovered by the TSA at the Des Moines Airport, which is more than double the seven guns found in 2023.

In 2024, for every million passengers screened 7.4 handguns were recovered nationwide, while here at the Des Moines Airport for every million passengers screened 9.3 handguns were recovered. Mayle said nationwide, the number of guns recovered went down, but in Des Moines, they went up. As traveling continues to pick back up from the effects of COVID, the TSA was aware that more passengers likely meant more guns. Mayle says one reason is carelessness, people grab a bag from their closet and don’t think about what might have been left inside. The spike could also be linked to passengers checking less bags when they fly.

In 2024, the TSA rolled out a campaign called “Prepare, Pack, Declare” which encourages all who are flying to know what they are traveling with, ensure everything they bring with them is within guidelines, and to notify officials when there is a handgun present. Mayle says if you are planning on bringing a firearm, pack it properly in a locked, hard sided case, unloaded.

The holdup from finding a gun not only disrupts the flow of traffic, it also posed serious repercussions. The Des Moines Police Department responds to all gun calls and then issues fines. In addition to a civil penalty from the TSA, which can be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, there can be local criminal consequences as well. Mayle says the Des Moines Airport will continue campaigns and programs to deter passengers from bringing in firearms but it’s up to passengers to check their bags and be aware.