Is my friend BU to ask me to pick her up from the airport at 2am ?

[Eggsandpickles]

She clearly wants to save money by not getting a taxi. There are no buses to our village at that time. A taxi would probably cost her around £85.
Thoughts ?

If it had been to visit an ill relative abroad I do it in a heartbeat. This is not the case.

It honestly wouldn’t bother me doing this for a friend.

Isnt that what friends are for? To help each other out now and again and that includes helping them save money.

It’s not like it’s every week.

How much is the taxi fare that she is saving? How much in petrol and parking would it cost you to do it? I haven't driven to airports much and not for a few year until last year. I went in the wrong place initially and so it cost me £20 just to pick someone up on top of petrol. I think it's unreasonable to book flights that come in at a such an hour to save money and possibly expect someone else to facilitate that and cough up as well.

Whenever Iv picked someone up from the airport I don’t park in the airport. I park 5 mins drive away and they walk out and then I pick them up so there’s no fees to park.

3am is the worst time: you can't really stay up late and then go to pick up, nor can you view it as early morning, so early to bed and up & out early.

I've often hung around airports in the small hours until it gets light, transport starts whatever. The plane may land late anyway.

I'd tell your friend no. It's her problem if she booked the flight at that time.

See, I wouldn’t ask that of a friend/family. I would have factored in the taxi fare in my holiday budget.

Honestly who needs enemies when you have friends like some of the replies on here.

I think it's unreasonable to book flights that come in at a such an hour to save money and possibly expect someone else to facilitate that and cough up as well.

Yep!

‘I’ll be asleep at this time hopefully haha, and anyway it is so expensive to drive/park there I always take public transport’

This way she can’t even answer saying taxis are too expensive.
Oh and don’t suggest the taxi otherwise it sounds like this is now your problem
to solve.

THIS.
I feel like saying no is alike to saying something along the lines of ''sorry, I cannot be arsed, even though I am perfectly able to come and get you I just don't want to be awake all night while I clock watch to wait for the time to come around to come and get you. You can fork out for a taxi instead'' i.e. stuff you.

The airport is around 1hr 15 minutes each way, so around a 3 hours round-trip. Friend would give me petrol & parking money, she has already said so.

Friend is going on holiday with her daughter. My daughter is not going with them. My friend is not coming to stay with me.

Bit cheeky if that time can't be avoided I would book a taxi. I have had to wait around for hours for our train home after getting through the airport at 3am. But was just me and a friend. Some package holidays you don't get a choice.

I would laugh if someone asked me to do a 2am pick up (if no extenuating circumstances other than them just not wanting to pay for a taxi). Absolutely no chance. Also not remotely something I would ever ask of a friend.

There are so many things she could have done to avoid asking you, if she was bothered. She could drive and park her car at the airport, book a flight at a better time or just take a taxi. I think I'd make an excuse and say no.

Just say sorry, you aren’t available. If she pushes it, say you haven’t been sleeping well, so driving in the middle of the night wouldn’t be safe.

@Eggsandpickles what was your response?

I was asked similar. I just responded "mate, I wouldn't even drive myself from the airport at xxx o clock" which is true. Don't think my friend took offence.

When I travel I pay to park my cat at rhe airport. It works out cheaper than a taxi both ways and doesn't put anyone out.

@cartagenagina that’s a bit of a lame excuse!

Why can’t she park at the airport?

Your fuel and parking money would probably come close to the cost of her taxi. Not even accounting for your time (and lack of sleep).

She should think more selflessly and not burden you with this quandry. You sound like a kind person, but sometimes others take that for granted.

It would be about that price for a taxi (maybe a little more) to my house from our major local airport. I recently did a pick up and drop off ( but this was for a family member visiting from overseas after a 15 hour flight). The drive both ways was horrible - heavy traffic during the day and motorway closures at night time. Parking cost me iirc £12 to pick up - we didn't have to wait long, timed it right. Drop off cost me £5 for a max of 10 mins.

Really? You surprise me.

No way would I get in a car with my precious DD if I knew the driver wasn’t fit to be on the road due to insomnia/sleep issues.

I never understand why people think it's always okay to ask. No, there are things that it would be rude and unacceptable to ask, because it puts the other person in an awkward position. You may think it's fine because you (supposedly) won't be upset if they say they can't/won't but it still puts a burden on the other person, who often feels guilty that they don't want to grant the favour, but resentful if they end up doing it when they'd rather not. It's a wonderful way to make people dislike you and distance themselves from you.

That's a big ask, imo. A long drive and at an unreasonable hour.

@cartagenagina

well yeah! Vast majority of parents of babies/toddlers are chronically sleep deprived. Are you saying none of these people should be driving?! Just give up their jobs or whatever? I don’t think that’s gonna happen.

Well I wouldn't drive 1 and a quarter hours to pick up many people even at a more sociable time of day. That's a huge ask. To ask for a pickup at 3am ruins the whole of your Sunday and possibly much of the day before too.

She's got loads of options. Taxi. Drive and park car at airport while away. Stay up and wait for public transport to restart. Book a hotel and get some sleep before coming back on public transport. Loads of options that don't need to involve you that she can choose from.

If you're feeling nice, or wouldn't mind picking her up at a more sociable time you could offer to collect her at (for eg) 7am so you'd get a decent night's sleep first.

Also, Night time taxi drivers probably do another jobin the daytime... highly unlikely they are sleeping all day!

Nah, it wouldn't. Clearly the cost of petrol and a 15 minute pickup fee at an airport will be nowhere near the cost of a taxi for the same distance, otherwise taxis wouldn't make money, for a start. It'll be like £20-25 tops if the airport is an hourish drive away.