Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to ask friend to refund me for cancelled holiday?

37 replies

user1495056632 · 17/05/2017 22:48

Long time lurker, first time poster wondering about her unreasonableness...!

A group of us were due to go away this summer, something that's been helping get me through a pretty horrible year. Someone dropped out for a very legitimate reason and now the main organiser has messaged me to say that various other people don't want to go/can't be bothered , and it looks as though we need to cancel altogether. We were in the process of booking accommodation for everyone but thankfully hadn't received confirmation, however we did get our (non-refundable) flights sorted.

I'm really very annoyed by this; she and anyone else now backing out is choosing to lose their money IMO, whereas I'm not and would happily still have gone once that first person dropped out.

I don't particularly want to go to a country I've never been to by myself, or try and cajole someone else into coming with me (plus, flights have also gone up dramatically in the intervening time). All I want is my money back, which ain't happening :( I am now close to £200 out of pocket, and wondering if I should be asking the person who cancelled the trip to reimburse me (?)

OP posts:
ThisIsStartingToBoreMe · 17/05/2017 22:49

How are you £200 down?

StealthPolarBear · 17/05/2017 22:49

I know you say yo don't want t go alone bur could you reconsider? You might have a great time.
It is shit though, I'm sorry.

StealthPolarBear · 17/05/2017 22:50

I think she meant she paid for the flights

ThisIsStartingToBoreMe · 17/05/2017 22:51

They cancelled the holiday KNOWING you had paid for your flight???? I'd be fucking furious!

PeaFaceMcgee · 17/05/2017 22:52

Angry what a shame and a letdown... But I'm not sure it's reasonable to demand the £200 I'm afraid.

TheWitTank · 17/05/2017 22:52

Can you sell your flight? How much does it cost to change name on the ticket? If you can't sell it I would just go on my own and have a lovely time doing exactly what I wanted!

RuggerHug · 17/05/2017 22:52

If the original canceler had a decent reason I don't think it's fair they have to pay. It is a shit one though, any chance of changing flights to somewhere you would like to go?

KarmaNoMore · 17/05/2017 22:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
user1495056632 · 17/05/2017 22:55

first canceller had a good reason, second one not so much! Unfortunately flights are non-refundable, and I can't make any changes to booking :0

OP posts:
SomethingBorrowed · 17/05/2017 22:56

YABU even though I understand it is annoying.
If it was a holiday with just one other person and they cancelled mayne you would have a point, but as it was a group holiday, one person cancelling doesn't really make a difference, and it is not their fault the others decided to cancel as well.

Whack · 17/05/2017 22:56

That's terrible behaviour of them but you can't ask them to pay for it you'd be better off convincing them to go with you. Had they paid for flights too?

Yika · 17/05/2017 22:56

No, you can't ask for her to refund you, sorry.

It's annoying; I really sympathise. I would definitely go alone. Is there some kind of activity holiday at the destination that you could book onto? Sailing, yoga, whatever?

The best revenge on your flaky friends would be to go and enjoy it.

peukpokicuzo · 17/05/2017 22:57

Go by yourself - or if you can manage not to sound too passive-aggressive about it message the whole group and say you need this holiday, have been looking forward to it and will be going anyway whether alone or whatever. I bet one of the others will decide to go too and you can reinvent it as a smaller holiday for two rather than a big group thing.

TheWitTank · 17/05/2017 22:58

Book a nice hotel and go and enjoy yourself! I would (and would relish the peace!). Where are you going? Perhaps some well travelled MNers can help you out with suggestions for hotels and things to do?

SaveMeBarry · 17/05/2017 22:59

The thing is no one person is responsible for cancelling are they? The group has seemingly chosen to cancel due to dwindling numbers. It's shit and I'd be annoyed too but for me it would be a case of lesson learned, I wouldn't make any costly plans with these people again!

I certainly would message the group to say I'm not impressed to be left in the lurch £200 down but I don't see that asking anyone to reimburse you will do anything but cause a falling out. Which is fine if you don't mind falling out with them of course Wink but it's unlikely anyone is actually going to reimburse you.

Is it possible someone else also paid for a flight and now won't use it? If so I think you can pay a fee to change the name if you have someone in mind who might like to go.

Yambabe · 17/05/2017 22:59

Assuming that all the others in the group are your friends, and some of them will surely also have already paid for their flights too, can you not just ask around and see if anyone else still wants to go? Then you could book smaller (and possibly cheaper) accommodation to suit however many of you were still interested.

maisybobbins · 17/05/2017 23:01

I would definitely go alone too. You can't reasonably ask your friends to pay up and you can't get a refund on your flight. The only reasonable course of action is to sod it and go!

Vanillamanilla1 · 17/05/2017 23:04

How many of them had booked the flight ? Or was it just you ?

CoolioAndTheGang · 17/05/2017 23:04

I would go. Bring some good books/music and book somewhere central with a view. It will be lovely. Don't let them ruin your holiday. Flowers

Goldfishjane · 17/05/2017 23:06

Are they all £200 down? I'm just thinking, can you talk anyone back into it?

fabulous01 · 17/05/2017 23:06

I don't think I would go unless I wanted Tia's it is extra spending on hotel food etc
See it as learning . A hard lesson though

Original poster
user1495056632 · 17/05/2017 23:08

I think only four of us had booked out of a potential eight, so that leaves the organiser plus three with flights

OP posts:
228agreenend · 17/05/2017 23:09

Is the £200 your share of the flight cost, or have you paid the deposit for everyone?

If th deposit,for everyone, then everyone on the trip,should reimburse you their percentage of the cost. Ie. If four of,you were going, they should each reimburse you 25%.

However, if the £200 was for,your flight only, then that's more tricky. Has everyone lost £200 equally?

alphajuliet123 · 17/05/2017 23:10

Do the others know you still want to go? Even if one other person is still up for it you can just sort accom. If not, I agree with others, go anyway. It might be daunting but you'll love it!

SaveMeBarry · 17/05/2017 23:10

Is there no chance those of you with flights could still go then? Have you suggested it?

Swipe left for the next trending thread