Transportation Security Administration officers found 45 handguns at airport checkpoints across New England in the past year, including nine at Bradley International Airport.
The number is up from the 29 handguns TSA agents found in airports in the region in 2018, according to statistics TSA released Thursday.
At Bradley, TSA found five handguns in 2017.
Last year, 4,239 firearms were discovered in carry-on bags at TSA checkpoints across the country, averaging about 11.6 firearms per day, according to TSA.
That was 7 percent more than the 3,957 detected in 2017.
The most guns were found at Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where 298 were retrieved from TSA checkpoints last year.
At Logan International Airport in Boston, 21 handguns were found at TSA checkpoints in 2018 up from 14 in 2017.
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TSA said 86 percent of firearms detected at checkpoints last year were loaded and nearly 34 percent had a bullet in the chamber.
Travelers are subject to criminal charges for carrying handguns in their carry-on bags. TSA said even if a traveler has a concealed weapon permit, firearms cannot be carried onto an airplane. However, travelers with proper firearm permits can travel with their firearms in checked bags if they follow guidelines.
