I was very interested to read the article headlined “Flood of summer passengers causes parking crunch at Portland International Jetport” (Aug. 24).

I’m not a frequent flier, but I have flown twice this summer for out-of-state family events, and finding a parking place was one of my top concerns. Both were very early flights, and luckily I was able to find a spot in the surface lot. However, more than once in the wintertime I’ve gone round and round in the parking garage until something opened up.

When I read about the Portland resident who had trouble finding a place to park, I thought about another alternative that I’ve used on occasion. When my son lived in South Portland, I’d leave my car at his house and take a taxi to and from the airport because he was either working or in class and couldn’t drop me off. Depending on how long you’ll be away, it might cost a little more or a little less than the parking fees, but it eliminates that extra anxiety and helps a local businessperson at the same time. Plus you get door-to-door service and free up a parking spot for someone who lives out of town.

We’re so used to driving ourselves everywhere, we just automatically get into the car and go. But if you live in Portland or the surrounding towns, consider taking a cab the next time you fly out of the jetport. You can call ahead to set a time to be picked up and then sit back and relax on your way to the airport.

Kathy Roberts

Phippsburg

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