Security officers at Hancock International Airport in Syracuse caught a man with a loaded gun trying to get on a plane on Sunday. Authorities with the Transportation Security Administration say the loaded pistol was discovered in a carry-on bag as it passed through an X-ray machine.
The traveler told authorities he forgot the .380 caliber semi-automatic handgun was in his bag. The passenger, a man from Manlius, was allowed to catch his flight and the handgun was returned to a family member.
Last year, two guns were confiscated at Hancock. TSA officials say the number of guns flagged at airport checkpoints was up 22 percent nationally last year.
Weapons including firearms, firearms parts and ammunition are not permitted in carry-on baggage, but can be transported in checked baggage.