A photo of a car park payment machine at the recently-opened Jewel Changi Airport showing a hefty S$3158.72 parking fee went viral on social media last week, after Facebook user Supra Mac published the photo online.
Mr Supra, a delivery driver, later told the press that he had only been at the loading/unloading bay at the car park for about 45 minutes on Wednesday (24 Apr). When he tried to leave the car park, he was stopped at the gantry due to “insufficient balance” on his Cash card to pay the parking fee.
The 27-year-old was shocked to find the hefty parking charge when he looked at the monitor. He told ST: “I had just topped up my Cashcard in the morning…When I saw the amount, it was like a joke.”
Mr Supra was eventually allowed to leave the car park without making payment after about 10-15 minutes, after he spoke to a car park staff member through the intercom at the gantry. He said: “I think no one is to blame. It was just an error and they resolved it.”
A spokesperson for the Jewel has since said that the error occurred due to the driver’s previously unrecorded exit from the car park. Advising drivers against tailgating and to maintain a “safe distance” behind other vehicles, the spokesperson said:
“We confirm that this was a case that took place on April 10 in the Jewel loading/unloading bay. There was no record of the driver leaving the car park, and hence the parking charge snowballed until the next visit, which took place on April 24.”
Mr Supra, however, asserted that he did not tailgate another vehicle and that he did not have any issues when he exited the car park during his previous visit.
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