Salt Lake airport nabs weapons galore

Despite publicity from the 9/11 terrorist hijackings — resulting from terrorists smuggling just box-cutter razors past checkpoints — and ever-tightening security at the airport, data show that the number of potential weapons seized continues to be high.

"It's disappointing because we have been preaching the same thing for years" about what passengers can and cannot take on board, Morris said.

At Salt Lake City International, placards warn passengers waiting in security lines what is and is not allowed, as do video messages they watch in line. Morris and others often hold press conferences before heavy travel periods warning about what is allowed, and TSA Web sites offer extensive lists.

"But we don't really see any improvement," he said.

Data show that in some ways it is worse.

The number of seized items at the airport nearly doubled from 2002 to 2003 — from 40,765 to 84,501 from 11 months in 2002 to 2003.

During the first nine months of this year, the rate of seized items remained roughly the same as the previous year, with 59,812 items seized from January through September.

Times of truly heightened security and warning do seem to cut down on weapon seizures, data show. In February 2002 — the month of the Salt Lake City Olympics — only 140 weapons were seized. Still, despite all the warnings during the Olympics, one firearm, one explosive device and 15 knives were surrendered at checkpoints.

But just a month after all the extra publicity about security surrounding the Olympics, weapon seizures skyrocketed at the airport — with 3,278 weapons seized, or 23 times as many as the month before. That included four firearms, 48 explosive devices and 1,275 knives.

The month during the past three years when the most weapons were seized was June 2003, when 8,594 potential weapons (or 286 a day) were confiscated. As late as September this year, 5,786 were surrendered (or 193 a day).

What is legal?

Morris said the most common mistake people make "is they just don't take time to stop and think through what they are carrying" and what is allowed or dangerous. "We've had people actually try to bring through chain saws or cans of gasoline," he said.

Also, "You would be amazed at how many people just always carry pocketknives with them and don't think about it before trying to go through security," he said.

He added that items such as knives and guns can actually be taken legally on flights, but not in carry-on luggage. "Guns can actually be taken if they are packed in checked luggage and declared at check-in," he said. "We don't want to stop people from taking such things with them, but they cannot have them accessible during the flight."