The American stewardess, described as being in her sixties and identified only by the initials J.J., was arrested on Sunday by Italian border police at Fiumicino airport, just outside Rome, Italian daily Il Messaggero has reported.

The air hostess had been about to board a US Airways flight between Rome and Charlotte, North Carolina, reports the paper, when airport security staff discovered a revolver in her hand luggage.

Moments before the discovery was made, the woman had been observed making “strange movements” inside her hand luggage.

The gun in question, a ‘Sig Sauer’ 40-caliber handgun, had been disassembled and five bullets had been fired, police said.

The woman was then arrested and is currently being held in Civitavecchia prison.

When questioned by police, the air hostess said she had brought the firearm over from the US.

Police have yet to determine when the shots were fired, why she was carrying the gun and if the gun has any link to any criminal activity which took place in the area of the city where the stewardess was staying.