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AIBU?

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Original poster

To not want to pay above a full tank of petrol for a lift to the airport?

541 replies

alexandrasm · 08/05/2026 19:45

I fly from my “local” (2 hours away!) airport at the end of summer. My flight is in the early evening and I have an appointment in the morning.

My brother offered to give me a lift, it won’t affect his work as he’s on 0 hours and can just request a late start/no hours on that day (he usually doesn’t work on a Friday anyway).

I said yes please, and said I’d be happy to cover a tank of fuel as it would probably use about that to get there and back, and have some left over. (So I’m thinking about £40, he has a hybrid so it doesn’t use a ton of fuel).

He’s now said £40 plus £75 on top for “his time”

AIBU to think sod it, I’d rather just pay a taxi (about £100 according to local Facebook groups) because he’s being a CF?!

OP posts:
Cocktailglass · 08/05/2026 20:06

Ouch! Whenever, as family, we pick up from airports, wouldn't dream of even asking for petrol money and no way time costs. A gift and reciprocated favours.

Original poster
alexandrasm · 08/05/2026 20:06

Waitingatlidl · 08/05/2026 20:04

You could have booked the taxi and updated him in the time you’ve spent chatting about it on this thread

I’m looking at trains now, just wondering how much time I actually need to give myself to get from Bristol temple meads to the airport 😂

OP posts:
Waitingatlidl · 08/05/2026 20:04

You could have booked the taxi and updated him in the time you’ve spent chatting about it on this thread

Original poster
alexandrasm · 08/05/2026 20:04

Blueuggboots · 08/05/2026 20:03

Cheeky fucker. Next time he wants a favour, charge him for it?!!

Next time he asks me to grab something while he’s at the shops I’m going to send him a screenshot of the texts 🤣

OP posts:
Original poster
alexandrasm · 08/05/2026 20:04

LoremIpsumCici · 08/05/2026 20:03

It is £28 to drop someone off at my local airport so £40 plus £28 isn’t far off his charging.

Edited

That’s crazy work 😭 I’d have him drop me down the road, Bristol is quite accessible by foot

OP posts:
Blueuggboots · 08/05/2026 20:03

Cheeky fucker. Next time he wants a favour, charge him for it?!!

Original poster
alexandrasm · 08/05/2026 20:03

CoalTit · 08/05/2026 20:03

You say in the OP that he offered you a lift, then in subsequent posts that you asked him for one. Those are two different things.
If he offered and then wanted to be paid, he's a CF. But it's twisting things to say that he offered.
His asking to be paid on top of petrol and meals sounds like he doesn't really want to do it, and you have a right to be disappointed if you have done similar for him in the past. But it is a great big favour that you've asked him.

Well yeah, I’d say if you’re asked and say yes that’s an offer!

OP posts:
CoalTit · 08/05/2026 20:03

You say in the OP that he offered you a lift, then in subsequent posts that you asked him for one. Those are two different things.
If he offered and then wanted to be paid, he's a CF. But it's twisting things to say that he offered.
His asking to be paid on top of petrol and meals sounds like he doesn't really want to do it, and you have a right to be disappointed if you have done similar for him in the past. But it is a great big favour that you've asked him.

LoremIpsumCici · 08/05/2026 20:03

It is £28 to drop someone off at my local airport so £40 plus £28 isn’t far off his charging.

Original poster
alexandrasm · 08/05/2026 20:01

TomatoSandwiches · 08/05/2026 20:00

If you've given him plenty of lifts over the years without payment and this is the first time you've asked for a lift then he's pretty awful.

its the first lift of any substance, I’ll sometimes hop in the car if he’s already going somewhere but he’ll do the same to me. I’m a bit surprised because I’ve always operated on the basis of “even if it’s 4am, please call me because I’d rather that than you and your mates dying in a drunken car crash”. The number of times I’ve ferried him and his mates home then got off to work!

OP posts:
BillieWiper · 08/05/2026 20:01

Of course use a taxi. He's taking the piss. Tell him he charges more than a professional driver?!

Is he usually like this? If he can't afford to drop work he shouldn't have offered.

Original poster
alexandrasm · 08/05/2026 20:00

arethereanyleftatall · 08/05/2026 19:58

Although tbf op, I’d check out the price of a taxi first! I’d be very surprised if a 2 hour trip (so possibly 4 hours) is only £100

Because I live quite a way from any airport, a lot of companies do deals where they might take you at slightly inconvenient times for your own journey, in order to be there for another pick up.

OP posts:
TomatoSandwiches · 08/05/2026 20:00

If you've given him plenty of lifts over the years without payment and this is the first time you've asked for a lift then he's pretty awful.

TheBlueKoala · 08/05/2026 20:00

My brother will get me to/from the airport in two weeks. "Just" a 30 minute drive so 1 h total but he would be hurt if I proposed to pay for fuel. So weird that some will calculate not only fuel but also cost of wear and tear and time. I guess all families are different🤷‍♀️. @alexandrasm I think he's being a CF and tell him it's cheaper to just get a cab. Are you sure he wasn't joking?

Original poster
alexandrasm · 08/05/2026 19:59

It’s only 93 miles too, I’d love to know why it takes so bloody long!

To not want to pay above a full tank of petrol for a lift to the airport?
OP posts:
arethereanyleftatall · 08/05/2026 19:58

Although tbf op, I’d check out the price of a taxi first! I’d be very surprised if a 2 hour trip (so possibly 4 hours) is only £100

Original poster
alexandrasm · 08/05/2026 19:58

WallaceinAnderland · 08/05/2026 19:56

You've asked a favour but obviously with an expectation. Why can't you just get yourself to the airport?

I’d happily drive but I’m flying home into another airport so it won’t work! Like I’ve said I’m happy to get myself there but just thought I’d ask - if he’d said “yes I’ll do it free of charge” I’ve got a mega result there and saved myself a chunk of money! He’s my brother, it’s not like I’ve asked a random person

OP posts:
DeedlessIndeed · 08/05/2026 19:58

Slightyamusedandsilly · 08/05/2026 19:57

Be blunt.

"Thanks for the offer, but a taxi is cheaper so I've booked one."

Yep.

Slightyamusedandsilly · 08/05/2026 19:57

Be blunt.

"Thanks for the offer, but a taxi is cheaper so I've booked one."

Metromayhem · 08/05/2026 19:56

Dearg · 08/05/2026 19:50

Well the cost of running a car is much more than the cost of fuel - servicing, insurance, tax, wear and tear.

So , I would have possibly agreed to a mileage charge equal to the cost per mile of his car ( which you can find on any car magazine)

But reimbursing his time does not seem very brotherly . So I am somewhere in the middle. £75 is CF territory, but I would probably offer a ‘tip’ so it was between the £40 and the cost of a taxi.

Insane way to treat family. Can’t imagine being so transactional with a sibling! So weird, mumsnet isn’t real 😂

WallaceinAnderland · 08/05/2026 19:56

You've asked a favour but obviously with an expectation. Why can't you just get yourself to the airport?

arethereanyleftatall · 08/05/2026 19:55

Well obviously you’d rather get a taxi if that’s the cheaper option?!?

Original poster
alexandrasm · 08/05/2026 19:54

PicaK · 08/05/2026 19:53

But you've only offered to pay for petrol - not wear and tear on the car. And he has to drive home too.
So 4 hours - c240 miles. 40p a mile is £96.
I think expecting anyone to give you 4h of their time for nothing is CF territory tbh.

I don’t expect it, I’ve asked a favour. Do you really do that? The number of lifts I’ve given over the years and not kept count of!

OP posts:
Nearly50omg · 08/05/2026 19:54

Tell him to take the cost out of all the lifts and things you’ve given him over the years and didn’t charge him for at the time and that he didn’t offer to even give you the petrol cost for!!

Original poster
alexandrasm · 08/05/2026 19:53

Butterme · 08/05/2026 19:52

Can you not get a train or bus most of the way?

I think £75 for his time is ridiculous.

Yes he’s spending 4 hours to pick you up but surely it’s as a favour and you’re not hiring him to do a job.

Fair enough cover his fuel and I’d have chucked him £20 on top of bought him dinner on the way home but I wouldn’t pay for his time.

I can but it’s just inconvenient so I thought I’d ask, don’t ask don’t get and all that. I was pretty happy when he said yes and then offered payment, which I was happy to do. But when he asked for time on top I was shocked 😂

OP posts: