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When the unidentified man put his carry-on bag onto the conveyor belt at the security checkpoint at the airport, a Transportation Security Administration officer saw a gun.
"It was a 9 mm handgun loaded with ten bullets. And uh, that's a no-no, of course," said TSA's Lisa Farbstein.
She says a handgun can be taken on a flight, but it has to be in a hard-sided container and put in checked luggage.
The man was charged with weapons violations, but Farbstein says he could face some big fines.
"TSA has the authority to issue a civil penalty of up to $13,000 for somebody who brings a weapon to a checkpoint. The typical first offense for carrying a handgun to a checkpoint is about $3,900."
As for why the man brought the loaded gun to the checkpoint?
"The most common excuse we hear is, "I forgot my handgun was with me" or "my wife packed my bag" or "my husband packed my bag." And I can tell you neither one of those excuses fly," she added.