Beyond the hidden fees at atlanta-hartsfield airport (Jackson: rental car, lawyer)

[Hipshot7]

Help! Anyone have any ideas? Park Atlanta are thugs! I've paid this once. It irritated me but it wasn't worth fighting. Now they want me to pay it again & for twice as much! Now I'm Mad! If I pay this, who is to say I don't get hit again??? This INSANITY has GOT to STOP! There is no justice here. I would LOVE to sue them over this. See Below

BEYOND THE HIDDEN FEES AT ATLANTA-HARTSFIELD AIRPORT

Atlanta Beware! Beyond the hidden fees and optional charges associated with flight these days, lurk other perils that wait just outside the baggage terminal.]Being a novice at airport protocol apparently is no excuse for not knowing. We needed to pick up a passenger outside Air Tran’s baggage claim Wednesday evening 4/26/11. Never experiencing this before, we tried to time our arrival with our passenger over the cell phone. When I arrived there were people pulling up to the curb, loading passengers and luggage, exactly what we were about to do.

We pulled up to door N3. Our passenger wasn’t there yet, so we informed her as to what door we were at and she told us she would be right there. There was an airport enforcement officer in front of me. Inside of a minute she apparently waved us down. (so I thought) I said to her I was picking up a passenger and she was coming. To which she responded “So is Christmas!” Thinking that was rather rude considering it was April, there WAS room in front to me, so I pulled up to allow the space behind me like I thought I was instructed to do and again informed my passenger over the phone of our new location. This officer then turned around and walked up beside my car not saying a word to me. So taking the opportunity to talk to her, I told her I was new at this and asked if I was doing something wrong. And if I was, just what the correct procedure might be. She ignored me so I repeated my request, but she again ignored me and continued to write. My wife said, “I think she is writing you a ticket!” I couldn’t believe it. Sure enough! She didn’t even hand it to me! She rudely stuffed it under my wiper blade, THEN informed me she didn’t wave me down but waved me off! And walked away again ignoring me! Off what? And why? I didn’t understand her hand signal? For that I got a ticket?

So I got my out cane (I’m 54 with bad knees) and drug myself out of the car, avoiding traffic, walked around and removed the ticket from my windshield. I’m out $25!!??? My passenger arrived, we loaded her and left. This entire process happened in a span of less than 10 min!

What a HORRIBLE experience at the airport! She may have a tough job, but that’s no excuse to treat anyone that way! And unlike the “optional fees” you normally experience at the airport, I had no recourse! No clue on what I was about to experience, and no choice in the outcome! I politely asked for direction and got a ticket instead for my troubles! It felt more like extortion than a ticket! And she kept looking back at me and her ticket book suggesting like I was supposed to pay her off or something? Well frankly I’d rather EXPOSE this kind of treatment rather than pay ANYONE off.

Since I had no choice when receiving this ticket, and apparently now have no choice other than to pay it, (It would cost me more to fight it the way gas is) I am writing this in hopes of at least a little justice. If this is NOT your normal procedure for treatment at the airport, I would appreciate it if you would see to returning my check, and request an apology from the offending officer.

If this is normal, I do intend to get some value out of my extorted $25! I intend to send this story to all the media networks & various internet sites in hopes of at LEAST one of them picking up on this story and exposing this kind of rude unjustified treatment at Atlanta-Hartsfield Airport. Thank you for your understanding.

Sincerely, Bruce Ticket #****213

UPDATE: 5/22/12 TICKET # ****210

The nightmare continues? Unbeknownst to me this woman was apparently ticket crazy!!! Even though I PROMTLY PAID this extortion ticket on 5/7/11 check# 4633 which they cashed, I find out over a year later there was apparently ANOTHER ONE written earlier? They say it’s uncontested and due! How can I possibly contest a ticket that I was not even aware of for over a year?

This HAS to be a clerical error! Now they want to extort $50 more? And even though it says 3rd notice… I got no notices until now? Are you kidding me??? How could I possibly get 2 tickets sitting in my car picking up a passenger within a span of 10 min??? And there was two written in between? Were they mine too? Are you telling me she wrote 4 tickets in the span of 10 min? and 2 were mine? But she only stuffed the one under my wiper which I promptly paid

I paid my extortion ticket. They got enough money! Now they are threatening me with a boot or towing me? If this goes any further I swear I’m suing the city!

Sincerely, Bruce Ticket #****213 (NOT #****310

UPDATE: 5/23/12
I simply called to resolve this issue. I’m in awe. The woman was either unwilling or unable to help me! In any case she was not even pleasant about it. Nor could she give me anyone else to call?? They have no record of the ticket I actually paid? Even though I have a cancelled check to prove it! THIS IS INSANE! Boot my car? Tow my car? Cancel my registration? All these threats over something that should of never happened in the first place? Now over a year later out of the blue I get this? Even though I submitted to this injustice and promptly paid them off? Are you kidding me? At this point I’m documenting every move. I’m sending a copy of the cancelled check and this letter to the city today! If this continues, I seriously need a lawyer! If they won’t resolve it over the phone, it’s their fault! They owe me for a stamp!

I sincerely hope a news agency picks this up and exposes this injustice!

UPDATE: 6/7/12 TICKET # ****210 ??? This is just CRAZY! I’ve been sent a letter stating there is insufficient evidence to resolve this issue??? I sent them a copy of the cancelled check!!! Oh my GOD! The lady on the phone said they must wait at least 2 hours between tickets! I wasn’t there 10 min!! I’m suing! This is just WRONG! This is harassment! I need a Lawyer Any ideas? Anyone?[

[cittic10]

They really ought to wear ski masks.

I'm sorry this happened to you. It underscores how poorly this airport serves our area.
It's way too big and complicated and way too many people using it.
Next time have your guest hop on the M.A.R.T.A. train and pick them up at the station closest to you.

When it comes to cops, ticket writers, evidence gatherers, or just about anyone in uniform, I've found the best policy is to say nothing to them under any circumstances.

[Mishap]

This is why they make hourly lots as well as cell phone lots and even the downstairs loop. As a frequent traveler and my girlfriend is a flight attendant so I've probably driven the airport loop more than many taxis. In all of that time, I've never managed more than a wave from the traffic cops. I suspect you took quite a bit of time for them to actually type in a ticket. The excuse that they're on the way is the same one they hear every day so I wouldn't expect any effect.

People abuse the curbside pick up all the time. I've seen people just leave their cars to go inside. I saw a cop tell someone to move, the driver took exception and proceeded to peel out and almost hit pedestrians. The APD officer in the patrol car lit him up instantly and I'm sure he had a far more expensive outcome. The cops are pushy b/c people always clog up the curb pickup as long as they can. If you've ever seen traffic on the South loop back up to the speed sign before the parking entrance, you'll understand why they're overly strict. In all of that time, the # of people actually getting tickets is very minimal which is why I think your story is a bit skewed even though Park Atlanta is pretty much legalized extortion.

As for your case, do you have the original ticket and cancelled check w/ the ticket # referenced? Park Atlanta is ridiculous but I blame our city council for writing a contract that basically let them pay a fixed rate to the city and getting carte blanche to tax the city's parkers. Usually they take a picture of your car w/ the ticket and let you pay it online. I'd check that system too to see what time stamp the other ticket is for. They have a highly automated (for profitability) system to track most citations and I'd try to see if the check got misapplied (most likely) vs. having actually 2 tickets since their idiot proof system doesn't exactly let you backdate tickets.

[Hipshot7]

I did just that. My Sister came down to visit some time later. She is crippled and uses a scooter to get around. I told her she had to use marta. I refuse to go back to that @##$$%%^& airport!

She fell off her scooter getting off the train.

I honestly don't know what to do next to get past this. Apparently paying them isn't good enough! I mean at this point if I pay it again, whats to stop them from fining me again with yet ANOTHER mysterious ticket?

They need to be STOPPED!

[Hipshot7]

Yes I tried talking to them, It fell on deaf ears. I sent them the cancelled check with the ticket number referenced. They told me that ticket number I paid wasn't in the system. Really? What happened to it? Then why did they cash it? I wish I had the origional ticket but if I remember the ticket was also the envelope.

I't obviously a clerical error or some kind of insanity. But sending proof I paid wasn't good enough! R U kidding me?

I need to find a way to stop this insanity.

[flyonpa]

I use the Sky-Train for pick-up & Drop offs. At GICC stop. No one (so far) has bugged me there when im waiting for a pickup.
Rental Car Center (RCC) - Construction

Also ATL has setup a cell phone lot, but the person needs to be at the curb,
Hartsfield-Jackson to open cell phone lot

They will not let you wait around there at the curb. Its for active loading/unloading ONLY .. Not, they are on there way out in a few minutes. ..

[Hipshot7]

Yes I can see that .. But remember I was a rookie. No clue about cell phone pickups or anything else for that matter. I politely asked for direction and got a ticket and a nightmare for my troubles. Apparently more that one?

This whole thing is just ridiculous! I need to put a stop to it or it may NEVER end! I paid it once. If I pay it AGAIN, whats to stop them for trumping up another one?

question is how do I do that? AHHH!!!
!

[JMARIE2016]

I too had a bad first time experience at Atlanta Airport (6000N) Terminal Pkwy curbside on 16 Aug 2016... I could see in my side view mirror the officer waving her hand move forward, so I move forward and stopped to ask a question and the officer (2429) started writing me a ticket. I told her this was my first time at the airport and I tried to ask a question and she stated you OLD PEOPLE need to learn how too read. Her behavior was offensive, unprofessional, unacceptable, rude and bullying. She definitely need to attend a EO (Equal Opportunity) course and or be fired.