To let a holiday go to waste than give it away for free?

[ohputyourtinkleon]

4 of us going to Cyprus
1 person (partner ) can't go now
It cost £1400 per person
I put a post on Facebook asking if anyone wanted to come for £800 and name change
A few friends said they would love too but can't afford the £800
So anyway the place is going to waste
Partner said I should have just let someone come and do the name change but we paid so why should someone get it for free?

Aibu ?

I genuinely don't understand why you'd throw the money away rather than take a friend.

This happened to us a couple of years ago, husband had to pull out of a holiday last minute and I got my best pal right in there, didn't even occur to me to ask them to pay tbh. Bestie paid for all the food once we were there and a grand time was had by all.

I’ll happily pay £800 and come , sounds great ! Although I don’t actually know you …

That's a really good deal if it includes flights and transfers.

As the person wold get their own room, why don't you auction off the spare place among your friends? (As well as making your now-absent partner chip in.)

Getting, say, £500 back is better than nothing.

Gosh, sounds like you had a lucky escape from her to be honest.
How ungrateful and nasty of her!!

You could have let a friend have it for free, with proviso that they paid for dinner out for you one night. Better than nothing. Any group activities planned, or hiring a car or taxi? One extra might have split the costs a bit more (assuming they’d pay their way).

2 weeks is a lot of annual leave, there can't be too many people able to up sticks and come on a last minute holiday.

I see where you are coming from but I think £800 is too much, maybe £600-700 would be a great bargain for them and give your DP some of the money back. Unless you have a great friend who definitely could never afford that, it which case free.

Sounds like they’d haggle though if they said it cost too much? Personally I’d give for free if I absolutely had to rather than let it go to waste

I'm team H here. I'm assuming the holiday is coming up very soon and £800 is a lot of money to find at the last minute for many people, never mind trying to get Annual Leave with short notice. Also extra spending money will be required for some meals ( it's not AI but half-board)

If it was supposed to be 2 couples going, then you, @ohputyourtinkleon will be a spare wheel, at least some of the time if you are on your own. You won't be popular if you constantly tag along with the other couple. The dynamics of the holiday will be changed beyond all recognition

So - how willing are you to be spending at least some of the time entirely on your own? Or possibly being resented for tagging along the whole time? Will your friendship with the other couple survive this?

Only you can say how you will feel about being a single person ( effectively) while you are away versus having someone along? It's not really ALL about the money, surely? Understand you want some reimbursement, but if no-one can afford it on such short notice, I would offer it to someone for free - it'll still cost them money, so it's not completely free anyway

So Yes - given the situation I think YABVU

You come across as petty and rather unpleasant.

I would be thrilled to let a friend have a free holiday rather than let it go to waste.

But then I actually like my friends...

Exactly, this.

What airline allows you to change a name on a ticket?

Easyjet £55
Jet 2 £35
Vueling £50
BA £50
Tui £25

Um. Pragmatically, letting it go to waste is dumb move. Give it to someone - ideally someone nice - and they'll owe you a favour.

I'd ask the friends what their best offer would be, then pick one. It's only worth what someone is willing to pay.

£800 I’m in

This.... offer to highest bidder.
Or if you have a good friend who genuinely would never afford this sort of holiday, offer it to them.

For £800 they can't choose where they are going or when, who their holiday companions are, and they need to have 2 weeks leave available at short notice.

I don't think this is the bargain you think it is. Especially as they'd be travelling with a 'friend' who would rather waste a free space that offer it to a mate.

Invite a person you like spending time with.
A family member who would not normally afford the holiday and who has time off.

They can choose, take it or leave it

I guess £800 is quite a lot for someone to come up with a short notice to a destination they haven't chosen themselves. In your position, I'd let someone come for free - especially as your partner who I presumed paid for the place said he/she is fine with that..

I would give it away free or at least maybe reduce the cost to £400 or £500?

But only if

1. The person coming would improve the holiday for me, ie someone to hang out with instead of being a third wheel.

1. I wouldn't feel resentful, especially if they started spending money when out there.

1. The other people in my party would be happy they are coming.

I mean they are getting a bit of a bargain but also they didn't get to choose any of the elements of the holiday and its last minute so that is worthy of a substantial discount, it is hard to find an unbudgeted £800 and spends (plus expenses like pet boarding) last minute.

Just weigh up what benefits your holiday experience, any money you recoup is a bonus. Xx

I'd offer for free but they pay for the namechange.

Yes YABU. What a huge level of tightness that you would rather £1400 was wasted and given to the holiday company for nothing when you could treat a friend to a free holiday and also have some nice company for yourself.