NYC cracks down on website listing parking lots near JFK Airport. Why they say travelers need to be wary

NEW YORK — New York City is cracking down on a website it says is putting people looking for parking near John F. Kennedy International Airport in harm’s way.

This comes months after CBS News New York’s Lisa Rozner brought Queens residents’ concerns to a parking business accused of taking up spots in their neighborhood.

NYC says Way.com lists unlicensed airport parking lots

The city says JFK Inn was listed on Way.com as a parking lot for people flying through JFK. Steven Cohen, of Westchester, says he and his wife parked there with half a tank of gas, but when they returned, Cohen said they got “300 feet, and then the car ran out of gas … I was angry. I was frustrated.”

He says the business refused to help him get gas. Police brought them to a station.

Rozner went to JFK Inn, which advertises it has an airport lot outside.

“Are you guys licensed?” Rozner asked.

“Step outside, please,” a man at the business said.

“Are you going to talk to me outside?” Rozner asked.

“Negative. Step outside,” the man said.

“OK, so we don’t know if you’re licensed or not,” Rozner said.

The commissioner for the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) says JFK Inn is one of more than 40 unlicensed airport parking lots listed on Way.com for the past year.

“If it wasn’t for Way.com, a lot of these parking garages wouldn’t be found,” Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga said.

The lawsuit claims one of the unlicensed lots physically threatened city workers when they tried to enforce the rules.

Way.com says it’s in compliance

The commissioner says the city ordered Way.com to take down listings of unlicensed lots in 2023, but still found them online in April 2024, so they sued. They include discreet lots like Best Kept Secret Airport Parking and C&D JFK Long Term Parking.

Bhumi Bhutani, co-founder of Way.com, says the listings were taken down last year.

“We have been in compliance every single step of the way,” she said.

“What do they need to show you to even have a listing?” Rozner asked. 

“Since last year, we’ve asked them to provide us with a registered license that is from the city of New York,” Bhutani said.

Even though Way.com says it is in compliance, the city says it’s still pursuing legal action to recoup monetary penalties.  

How to check if a parking lot is legitimate in NYC

The city says consumers should always look for a lot’s license number posted outside; another sign of a legitimate business is if they post prices outside. The city has an online portal where consumers can look up businesses to see if they are licensed.

The city says:

“DCWP provides licensed parking companies with a checklist of legal requirements in order to help them avoid violations. New Yorkers should use DCWP’s License Lookup Tool to make sure a business is licensed with DCWP before using them. A DCWP Parking Garage or Lot license is required to operate a business that is open to the public and charges for parking. DCWP currently licenses more than 1,600 parking lots and garages around New York City. DCWP urges consumers to report unlicensed garages and also file a complaint if they have a problem with a garage or lot at DCWP’s website or by calling 311.”

Lisa Rozner

Lisa Rozner joined CBS News New York in 2017. She covers a wide range of stories.