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

[alexandrasm]

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?!

It's just funny that you are so offended when he replied in kind.

Surely, if he didn't ask, he wouldn't get paid for chauffeuring you around. What's the difference?

Please show me where I’m heavily offended?

You came online to call him CF.

Why is your "just asking, don't ask, don't get, he doesn't have to say yes" and his "CF"? He just asked, you know, don't ask, don't get, you doesn't have to say yes...

Yeah which is all fine? I’m allowed to think he’s a bit cheeky

So are you.

Saying "he won't lose money because he can take leave/start at a different time" etc. shows that you don't value his leisure time. Maybe he suggested a fee to reflect this.

Anyway, at least all this has motivated you to find a sensible way to the airport, so that's good

Someone giving you a lift to the airport is just as ‘sensible’ as any other form of transport.

Your brother is being grabby. He is asking more than a taxi price and he doesnt work on that day anyhow. Just get a taxi.
People are being very judgemental.

He is family. Family give favours within reason.

I take it you have looked into the Falcon bus OP?
It runs from Plymouth to Bristol airport.

Then do that. Why did you post this?

I disagree. It's incredibly time inefficient and environmentally damaging.

It's double the fuel compared to the next worst option: a taxi (which will drive passengers back from the airport too).

He has a hybrid. The effect on the environment would be negligible

You have done the airport lift to loads of family and friends in the past, just ask one of them @alexandrasm ?

OP, I saw you did mileage to Bristol Airport.
There’s a lot of construction work going on at Bristol Airport currently. I was there 10 days ago and it’s no longer the sleepy airfield it was 10y ago.

The new bus station is literally steps away from the Departures building. FlixBus and the Shuttle would get you there cheaply.
You also have to pay (£5?) to drop somebody off at the doors by car. It all adds up and they’re out to take your money!

It’s still a sensible (and normal) way of getting to the airport.

People might prefer to not ask family or friends for a lift but that doesn’t mean it’s not a perfectly normal and sensible thing to do.

And people who are happy to give their friends or family a lift to their airport are usually doing it to help them save money or time. Not to make a profit.

I would be very hurt if my close relative asked for more than petrol money for giving a lift. The brother is driving a hybrid so the fuel should not cost much. If I were asked, I would normally drive as a gift for someone close to me as I believe that friends and family should help one another. I guess it is different with young people. I am an older person.

In my head I knew this was Bristol! If you can get in to Temple Meads, there are regular buses to the airport from there. My sister used to do it regularly travelling between Scotland and Wiltshire.

You're being ridiculous.

My (petrol) car does 520 miles in a full tank (the mileage countdown display tells me that every time I fill up). Of course, I don't run it to empty - so let's say 450 miles per top up.
A top up costs me about £60 - £65. So that's less than 15p a mile.

And OPs brother has a hybrid - which would use less fuel, I guess?

So £30 would easily cover the fuel for a 2 hour round trip.

And PLEASE let's not get back into that silly argument about it costing more than fuel to run a car. A sensible contribution to other mileage-related costs (tyres, servicing) would be a couple of pence per mile. OF COURSE she shouldn't contribute to the capital costs of running the car (Road Fund Licence, insurance, depreciation) - he's running the car anyway.

He is cheeky. I don't get why people are so offended at you asking your brother for a lift. Families help each other, it isn't a business transaction.

I asked my brother for a lift to the airport early in the morning just because it was less hassle for me. I didn't want to be messing about with taxis or unreliable trains and buses for hours. He said he would have to drop me an hour earlier than I wanted as he wouldn't get back in time for work otherwise. I agreed but then he came back to me to say that he had arranged a late start at work so we can stop for breakfast on the way. I didn't give him any money for petrol and he paid for breakfast.

Previously, I've picked him up from a party an hour away in the dead of nowhere in the middle of the night and not charged him anything.

Isn't this just what siblings do?

You’re kidding? He paid for breakfast????

Yes 😁.
We do that sort of sh!t for each other. When I ask him if he can babysit my son for the day he often turns up with a Maccy's breakfast or some pastries or something when he collects him in the morning. If we take our mum out for dinner I often pay for everyone. We don't quibble over money, we're family.

People are clearly missing the point. That’s her brother and he offered to take her. To expect to be paid for his time is shameful. He wants to make money off OP.

Quite literally “taking her for a ride”

Nope.

The OP asked him if he would take her, and he agreed and than specified conditions.

The part where the OP interprets his agreement on the spot as him "offering" is part of why some posters see her as a CF.

And OP says she has done a number of favours for him in the past. Free. I’ll be honest, I’d be knocking that on the head.

@alexandrasm You have the patience of a saint. Get to and from the airport by yourself, and say ‘no’ when he asks you for favours.

Well, I’ve pulled the ultimate trump card today

He reckons he’s broken his foot last night while out. Nobody else to give him a lift so guess who he’s come begging 🤣 airport lift secured

and then the whole of Mumsnet stood up and cheered.