The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Airport executive resigns position; spending underwent audit in 2023
Ferrell served as chief commercial officer, deputy GM.
Jai Ferrell, a prominent executive at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, has resigned from her position, according to the airport.
Ferrell, who had been chief commercial officer and a deputy general manager at the world’s busiest airport since 2022, has been the target of complaints over the past year from some people who operate businesses at the air- port and others who have appeared at Atlanta City Council meetings.
In an exit note, Ferrell wrote: “I am ready to use my wings and it is time that I depart ATL.” Ferrell, 40, had an annual salary of $258,750.
A year ago, Ferrell came under scrutiny after the air- port opened an audit of sus- pected inappropriate expen- ditures, then asked for a review by the city of Atlan- ta’s Law Department. The Law Department used out- side counsel for an investi- gation into 343 invoices over five months in the airport’s marketing division.
The report flagged more than $6,000 in inappropriate invoices, including spending that airport general manager Balram Bheodari said consti- tuted revenue diversion, in violation of Federal Aviation Administration policy. Bheo- dari said he informed the FAA
of the investigation, told the FAA he would take “appro- priate action” to recover the funds and said the FAA was “satisfied with that.”
Among the expenses reviewed were airport dol- lars spent on a memorial ser- vice reception for a cousin of Ferrell that was submit- ted by a marketing department employee.
After the review, Bheo- dari defended Ferrell, say- ing she was not aware that air- port funds were used to pay for the funeral reception catering.
Also examined was a $5,000 photo shoot of Fer- rell in December and $1,000 for another airport executive. The shoots, rivaling the cost to photograph some wed- dings, were deemed permis- sible, the report said.
In December 2023, Fer
rell took leave from the airport under the federal Family Medical Leave Act until March of this year. In January, Ferrell filed a petition for a temporary protective order against one vocal critic, Duwon Robinson, who has criticized her during city council meetings.
On Monday, Bheodari said Ferrell’s tenure at the airport was “marked with innovation” and she “quickly rose through the ranks of various leadership positions at ATL” after being hired as the airport’s manager of marketing and promotions nearly a decade ago.
Bheodari called Ferrell’s resignation “bittersweet for the ATL community as we will miss her presence and professionalism, while looking forward to her next professional endeavor.”