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?!

There is a Bristol Airport bus that runs around every 15 minutes from Temple Meads station and journey takes some 30 minutes. If you have a railcard you can get a ticket that covers the trip from your start station to the Airport so the 1/3 off would apply to the bus element as well. Not sure where your start point is but if it from SW then it is also possible to only travel to Weston Super Mare and take an airport bus from there,

I think there’s a shuttle bus isn’t there? I flew into Bristol once when I got bumped off my flight so it’s a bit hazy, but it was easier than I thought.

So you bend over backwards for him but you have to give him cash to do one favour back?

Nah. Get a taxi and next time he wants a a 4am lift, you are busy!

Oh! I didn’t know I could do the ticket through to the airport

I can’t imagine ever charging family for my time, that’s so weird. YANBU.

Have you looked at national express, depending of course on where you live? They do a lot of coaches to airports at all sorts of times - I’ve used them a couple of times.

I’m not too sure, I’ve never done Bristol by public transport before, lots of London and Liverpool but not Bristol 😂 I think the reason I’m hesitant about it is because I went to uni up that way and I just remember hours and hours stranded on the way to and from Bristol temple meads

Not sure whereabouts you are travelling from - but there are quite few commercial bus companies that go to Bristol starting from around a fiver. There's National Express, MegaBus and Flixbus too. You might get another bargain yet to go with your cheap Ryanair Flight 😁

I'm afraid is my brother tried that with me I'd pay any amount for taxi, train, bus, etc rather than give him the money.
I'd never be helpful to him going forward and I'd make sure everyone else in the family heard about it too!

The national express leaves at midnight the night before and gets me there for 5am, which is all well and good but my flight isn’t until 6:30pm 😂 even for me that’s a long time to wait at the airport 😂

We all drive each other, it’s much more relaxing.

I don't disagree that your DB is being a CF, but you absolutely cannot say he "offered" when what actually happened was you asked him 😂

Same, I'd never ask anyone to give me a two hour lift, family or not. I think it's really rude. We live within perhaps 90 minutes of several airports and I can't imagine asking my parents for a lift to any of them rather than paying for a bus/taxi/airport parking. I can't think of ever hearing of family or friends being given a lift to them either when they talk about their plans.

Mental isn’t it! It’s a sibling! I picked my brother and his wife up from the airport last week, he offered me petty money and I said don’t worry about it, it’s what sisters are for. It’s not like I’m chauffeuring him about every week! It’s a favour to a family member and I know he’d do the same for me.
I understand not everyone can afford not to take petrol money, but she’s hardly a CF asking a sibling for a favour!

I can't imagine accepting any money from a sibling I was giving a lift to. Not petrol money at all and certainly not random costs added above that.

OP has been perfectly reasonable offering to pay for the petrol. Treating family like a private taxi hire by charging them mileage rates on top is really unpleasant.

If my sister asked to be driven a really long way and I didn't mind the drive/fancied a chat in the car I'd say yes and ask for some money towards fuel, considering the distance. If I didn't want to do it I'd just say no sorry, can't that day.

Wouldn't dream of asking for any cash beyond petrol money tbh, that's just weird.

I think it’s better now, but I also see you’re talking about Cambridge so this may not be useful - or is that your flight back?

Would never occur to me to ask someone to take me to the airport. I assume I am getting myself there and factor that in to the total cost of the trip and/or inform the time of flight I choose.

Really? It’s really common in my group of friends & family. My uncle, for example, won’t hear of his sisters (my mum and aunt), getting to the airport via any other way than him

I probably would have just said no to you, but roughly £100 for probably 5 hours of someone’s time, 4 hours driving to airport, plus coming to collect you, plus waiting around, plus food costs on the way. I mean, it is probably what it costs.

That’s back - but apparently it’s not Cambridge. It’s London Stansted and it looks like it’s in the middle of bastard nowhere 😂

YANBU. I would never charge my siblings anything for my time. I’d do them a favour, just like they do me a favour.

God, if we’re paying for our loved one’s time, then I’m on a ton of debt with my brother! He’s my go-to to call upon for building flat packs, painting fences, any kind of heavy lifting, and even watching the kids so I can wash my hair when DP is away.

Equally, there’s things I’ll do for him in return, happily, because he’s my brother.

Well I'm glad my family isn't like yours, weird that you wouldn't do each other favours like this.

Yeah I can’t lie I find it quite odd that people don’t ask their family for favours

Same. Lots of comments on here are bizarre to me. I would never dream of asking a sibling/family member for petrol money for a lift to the airport (however long), let alone for my time.

My best friend offered like actually offered not asked to drive me and my oh nearly 2hrs to the airport at 6am, when she already lives 45 minutes from me, in my own car, and then also picked us back up! She REFUSED any reimbursement as we have always done big big favours for each other without question as true lifelong best friends. She also had my car valeted before picking us up as car was a bit grubby! People remember big favours and if you have the right people around you they will do it. It’s all swings and roundabouts as she is always so good to me I recently lent her £000’s she needed towards a house without being asked.