ORLANDO, Fla. -- After two loaded guns were found Thursday morning at Orlando International Airport checkpoints, frustrated TSA officials again are imploring fliers to leave their guns at home.

  • 2 loaded guns found at TSA checkpoints at OIA Thursday morning
  • It was 5th time in a week that 2 guns found at checkpoints
  • TSA imploring travelers not to bring guns in carry-on baggage

One was stopped at 4:40 a.m. and another just before 7 a.m., Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman Sari Koshetz said.

This was the fifth time in the span of a week that two guns in a day were stopped by TSA security checkpoint officials, she said.

The total number of guns stopped at Orlando International Airport this year is 88. Last year, TSA stopped 94 guns at OIA.

"Unfortunately, the trend is escalating at a distressing rate," Koshetz said.

Last week, a traveler tried to bring bottles of a corrosive liquid through an OIA security checkpoint. Several airport workers felt ill, and two TSA agents were taken to a hospital as a precaution.

"We're seeing a lot of pistols, a lot of various types revolvers, semiautomatics -- you name it, we've seen it come through," said Jerry Henderson, TSA's federal security director in Orlando, after checkpoint incidents last week. "... About 85 percent of the people that we stop have concealed weapons permits, and a lot of those firearms are actually loaded."

Orlando Police Deputy Chief Eric Smith urged travelers not to bring a firearm through a TSA security checkpoint, even if you have a concealed weapons permit. If you do, you can be arrested on felony charges. 

Fliers can travel with firearms, but the weapons must be checked.

"Think about what you're doing. We implore you to check your bag before you're going to travel, especially if you're a concealed weapons permit-holder and you carry a firearm regularly," Smith said.

If you try to bring a firearm through a TSA security checkpoint, in addition to missing your flight, you could face thousands of dollars in fines, be arrested or go to jail, Henderson said.

Know the rules for traveling with guns

  • Firearm must in a hard-sided, lockable case
  • Take the gun to airline ticket counter
  • Fill out slip of paper, which has your ownership information and affirms that the firearm is unloaded
  • Stick paper in hard-sided case and lock it
  • Airline will bring it to TSA, who will declare it
  • Full rules from TSA: Transporting firearms and ammunition

SOURCE: Transportation Security Administration