A North Alabama woman nearly missed the flight to her own Italian wedding after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers discovered a pistol in her fiancé’s backpack.
Meagan Smith Barbee, 27, and her husband, Isaac Barbee, 33, were set to depart Huntsville International Airport for Venice on August 24. But their plans were delayed when TSA officers flagged Isaac’s bag during screening and found the firearm.
“It was a complete accident,” Barbee told Newsweek. “We normally keep all of our guns in a safe. Isaac had placed the pistol in a compartment of his backpack he never usually uses, and when packing, he didn’t think to check that pocket.”
Police were called to the checkpoint, and Isaac underwent a background check by local officers and the FBI. “The cops were super nice and told us it happens more than you think,” Barbee said.
In fact, according to the TSA, they intercept an average of 18 guns a day at airport security across the U.S. In 2024, 6,678 firearms were found during screenings, with approximately 94 percent loaded. This overall figure is down slightly from last year, but more than double when compared to 2014, when 2,212 guns were found in carry-on bags.
In 2021 5,972 firearms were intercepted at airports, in 2022 6,542 firearms were stopped at checkpoints, while 2023 saw 6,737 firearms discovered in carry-on luggage.
Thankfully, after a delay, Isaac was cleared and allowed to travel and the couple boarded their flight just minutes before takeoff.
TSA rules on traveling with firearms
Firearms are prohibited in carry-on luggage. Passengers may travel with unloaded firearms in checked baggage if they are stored in a locked, hard-sided case and declared at the airline check-in counter, according to the TSA. Ammunition must be securely packed and is subject to additional restrictions.
Bringing a firearm through a checkpoint, even accidentally, can lead to criminal charges, civil penalties of up to $15,000 and the loss of TSA PreCheck eligibility. In Isaac’s case, authorities determined the incident was unintentional.
Internet reacts
After arriving in Italy, where the couple eloped August 28, Barbee shared the ordeal in a TikTok post that quickly went viral.
“People said I should have left him at the airport or even ended the engagement,” she said. “The assumptions were wild—about who we voted for, our intelligence, even where we live. But honestly, my family has always coped with stressful situations by laughing, and that’s what we did.”
Despite the online backlash, the Barbee’s went on to celebrate their wedding and honeymoon in Venice.
“It was beautiful and everything I could have imagined,” Barbee said. “The drama at the airport didn’t affect our trip one bit.”
