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A Cherokee County woman says her car has been stuck at the world’s busiest airport for months after a parking mix-up turned into an expensive bill.
Lisa Clough flew out of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in June to be with her father, who was undergoing a heart procedure. But when she returned, she was hit with a parking bill she never saw coming—and now refuses to pay.
“I was going to park in the daily parking because I got a one-way ticket,” Clough said. “My dad was sick, and I didn’t know when I was coming back home.”
Clough said the daily parking lot was full when she arrived at the airport in mid-June, and an attendant was waving drivers away. She says the attendant directed her to another lot.
“I told him I needed to park in the daily parking,” she said. “He said that the hourly parking was an overflow parking. I should park there, so I did.”
That decision came with a surprise cost. Clough says she was expecting to pay about $400 but ended up with a bill of more than $1,000. She hasn’t paid it, and her car remains parked at the airport, racking up more fees.
“It doesn’t make sense for me to purchase a one-way ticket and then go to the hourly lot. Why would I do that?” she said.
Clough says a supervisor told her the attendant was a contractor, not an airport employee. Now, she’s calling for better training and more signage to prevent similar situations.
“So, I’ve lost money. I mean, I’m stressed out. My girls are stressed out because I’m stressed out over this,” she said. “It’s just been a terrible experience, which all could have been avoided.”
She says airport officials mentioned a possible “hardship” exemption, but she never received any formal approval.
Clough says she’s been in constant contact with the airport and wants them to take responsibility.
“The fact that they have strong-armed me so much, and I have documentation of constant emails, constant phone calls with 3 or 4 different people,” she said. “They need to get it together. They need to get it together.”
Clough says she just wants a resolution—and her car back.
In a statement, the airport said, “Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) was recently made aware of this incident by our parking management company, and we are reviewing the circumstances surrounding the customer’s experience. We sympathize, as we understand how stressful travel can be, especially when compounded by unexpected challenges. We are committed to working closely with the customer and our parking partners to find an amicable resolution. We value our customers and remain committed to ensuring every experience at ATL is positive, transparent, and efficient.”
