A Carthage man says his pickup sustained significant damage while parked at a private off‑airport lot near Nashville International Airport, and the operator has declined responsibility.
What happened
Ed Szablinski said he left his truck at Fly Away Airport Parking on Murfreesboro Pike before a family trip in early May. When he returned seven days later, he discovered damage to the driver’s side.
“I said, 'Holy cow, what happened here,'” Szablinski said. “I didn’t notice it 'til I came around to put luggage in and I was like, ‘What the heck is going on here?’”
Szablinski said he was directed to fill out a claim form. After following up, he said the company told him it was not liable and that the truck had arrived already damaged — a claim he disputes. He also said Fly Away told him its surveillance system retains recordings for only five days, and that any relevant footage was no longer available.
Financial and practical consequences
Szablinski filed with his own insurer, paid a $200 deductible and received a payout of nearly $7,000 to repair the truck. He estimates the damage reduced the vehicle’s retail value by about $2,000, and said he expects his insurance premiums could rise after the claim.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Insurance deductible | $200 |
| Repair payment from insurer | Nearly $7,000 |
| Estimated lost retail value | $2,000 |
Broader concerns for travelers
A Yelp page for the Fly Away location lists more than a dozen customers reporting vehicle damage, missing fuel and long wait times. Szablinski said his insurer is pursuing the parking operator and its corporate parent to recover the payout.
- Location: Fly Away Airport Parking, Murfreesboro Pike, near BNA
- Incident timing: early May; vehicle parked seven days
- Company response: denied liability; said camera footage was unavailable after five days
News Block contacted Fly Away Airport Parking and Propark, the company identified as the corporate parent, for comment. Neither had responded as of publication.
What Nashville travelers should consider
For Nashvillians who park off‑airport, this report highlights several practical steps: document vehicle condition with date‑stamped photos before leaving a vehicle, ask about surveillance retention periods, keep receipts and written claim confirmations, and check reviews for repeated reports of damage or service problems before selecting a lot.
The case also underscores consumer protection issues around private parking operations near busy transit hubs. Szablinski said he wants the operator to accept responsibility; his insurer now is pursuing recovery of the repair costs.
Local travelers who rely on off‑airport lots for short and long‑term parking may want to weigh convenience and cost against potential risks and the ability to secure timely evidence if damage occurs.
