Free parking ends for some officials at Charlotte airport

CHARLOTTE, NC (AP) — Officials at Charlotte Douglas International Airport have ended the practice of providing free parking for some politicians, government officials and business leaders.

The Charlotte Observer reports that the practice was a holdover from former aviation director Jerry Orr, who ran the airport from 1989 to 2013. According to the newspaper, the list included all City Council members, county commissioners and several members of Congress.

After interim aviation director Brent Cagle took over from Orr, the airport hired a consultant to review finances. The airport said the consultant found a large number of outstanding cards that provided free parking, even when card holders no longer had the jobs that gave them access to the cards.

The airport decided in August 2014 that free parking should only be for “airport-related business.”

Information from: The Charlotte Observer, http://www.charlotteobserver.com

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