Airport Fail: That One Time a Traveler Was Fined Over $100,000

Who among us hasn’t walked out of a restaurant or shopping mall and found a parking ticket on the windshield wedged under the wiper blade?

For one woman who apparently parked her car at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, it was part comical and part nightmarish.

She was hit with a $100,000 fine for allegedly abandoning her car for three years.

The car, a 1999 Chevy Monte Carlo, cost her $600 when it was bought. That means the parking ticket is worth more than 166 times more than the car for Jenner Fitzgerald. The car was allegedly abandoned by a spiteful ex-boyfriend. But since the vehicle is owned and registered in her name, she was left to deal with the mess. The ex-boyfriend worked for United Airlines and was able to park his car, temporarily, for free at the airport.

The car was abandoned in the parking lot in November of 2009 and began to accumulate the tickets. Airport signage reads that any car left in the parking lot for more than 30 days is considered abandoned. Fitzgerald did go to the police for help but officials failed to tow the car.

Hence, the extraordinary amount of parking violations – 678 to be exact.

Fitzgerald filed a lawsuit against the ex, United Airlines and the city of Chicago, which ultimately reached a settlement and her final bill ended up being over $4,000. 

---

For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.

Topics From This Article to Explore