Airports across the country seeing packed parking lots as more Americans return to air travel
NEW YORK -- Parking problems at major airports are leading to passenger problems with people trying to make their flights.
A couple who did not want to be identified got the runaround at LaGuardia Airport on Tuesday while searching for parking at terminal after terminal.
"It's terrible. We missed our flight," the husband said.
"Who's going to pay for the change in flight?" the wife said.
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey confirms this is happening more and more often at LaGuardia, Kennedy and Newark, and at other big city airports across the country, including Atlanta, Seattle and Chicago.
CBS2's Dave Carlin was turned away from Terminal D parking, and so was Mark Nelson, who drove in from East Hampton.
"It's getting worse," he said. "Now I'm still two terminals away from where I need to go."
More locals are traveling by air for pleasure and less often for business, and driving themselves.
It's a trend that started in the pandemic: more people buying cars and winding up on roads and in airport parking lots.
"We've largely been able to just re-direct people to overflow lots but again, we're looking at Memorial Day weekend coming up, summer peak," said Susan Warner Dooley, the aviation chief commercial officer for Port Authority.
Then you risk getting sent away from the airport altogether, so Port Authority officials recommend you log on the airport's official website and pre-book and pre-pay for parking.
At LaGuardia, you can also take Q-70 bus service, which is free, from Woodside/61st Street and from Jackson Heights/Roosevelt Avenue/74th Street.
You can also let taxis and other car services do the driving for you.
"We're going to always continue to promote mass transit," Warner Dooley said.
"Not doing it again," one woman told CBS2.
"What are you going to do instead?" Carlin asked her.
"Just take an Uber," she said.
Prepare ahead so you don't face not getting a space.