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 Trans baggage claim Wednesday evening. 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 wasnt 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 couldnt believe it. Sure enough! She didnt even hand it to me! She rudely stuffed it under my wiper blade, THEN informed me she didnt wave me down but waved me off! And walked away again ignoring me! Off what? And why? I didnt understand her hand signal? For that I got a ticket?
So I got my out cane (Im 54 with bad knees) and drug myself out of the car, avoiding traffic, walked around and
removed the ticket from my windshield. Im 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 thats no excuse to treat anyone that way!
And unlike the optional fees you normally experience, 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! 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 Id rather EXPOSE this kind of treatment rather than pay ANYONE off!
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