Airport passengers get apology for cars left snowbound EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) =97 The operator of Atlantic City=20 International Airport's parking lots has sought to make amends with=20 travelers who returned to New Jersey to find their cars left snowbound by a= =20 storm last month. Republic Parking System's executive vice president, Chris= =20 J. Howley, issued a written apology and offered parking refunds. The=20 southern New Jersey airport's parking lots were not plowed following the=20 Presidents Day storm that left many parts of the state under 2 feet of=20 snow. Returning travelers complained they had to borrow shovels to dig=20 their cars out or hire private contractors to do the job. Others said in=20 e-mails to Republic that they encountered rude parking attendants. In many= =20 cases, Republic refunded parking fees, which ranged from $20 to $27, and=20 passengers' costs for hiring someone to dig out their cars. "I'm=20 satisfied," airline passenger William D. Shackleton of Barnegat told The=20 Press of Atlantic City. But not everyone was appeased. Jamine McLaughlin has vowed to not use the airport again as long as=20 Chattanooga, Tenn.-based Republic runs the parking facilities for the=20 airport's owner, the South Jersey Transportation Authority. She and her=20 husband opted to rent a car and drive from Florida after their flight home= =20 was canceled. When they finally reached the airport, they found their car=20 buried under a mound of snow. McLaughlin's husband had to borrow a shovel=20 to dig it out. Republic refunded the McLaughlins' $20 fee, but the Trenton= =20 woman said she will long remember the surly parking employees who refused=20 to help. Republic blamed its contractor for failing to plow. Howley noted=20 in his apology letter the company has since hired a replacement. *************************************************** The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site/TnTisland.com Roj (Roger James) escape email mailto:ejames@xxxxxxxxx Trinbago site: www.tntisland.com Carib Brass Ctn site www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ Steel Expressions www.mts.net/~ejames/se/ Site of the Week: http://www.tha.gov.tt/ TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************