DD's friend pulled out of holiday abroad - DILEMMA

[towner]

Hopefully someone can give me a bit of guidance on this one!
Earlier in the year, DD decided that she wanted to go to stay with some friends of mine in Italy for 2 weeks at the end of July. A friend of DD said she wanted to go too so I booked the flights through Easyjet at £180 return each. Friends parents have paid me for her flight.
However the friend has now decided she doesn't want to go (with only 4 weeks til take off!). I sent her mum a text yesterday to see what was going on, because if she doesn't go she will loose her £180 and so will I as I am apprehensive about sending a 15 year old through an airport on her own. My friends will be at the other end waiting, but still. Only response I have had is that she would speak to her daughter and let me know. DD had a text / facebook / tweet from the friend last night confirming that she isn't going but as yet I have had radio silence from the mum. I'm sure she is embarrassed etc.

Here is the dilemma - Easyjet will allow me to transfer the flight to another person at a cost of £35 + the difference in the price of the flights from when they were bought in March to today, so total cost today is about £85. If I can find another friend to go, do I ask them to

1. just pay the £85 and transfer the flight to them with original friend's parents loosing their £180
2. £85 + £180 for the original flight & give the £180 back to the original friends mum
3. Pay £180 then pay the original friends parents back ~£95
4. any other alternative

If my DD doesn't go, do I ask the friends mum for the cost of my daughters flight?

Hope someone can advise!!!

The first option would be the only thing I would do. If the other girl doesn't want to go now, then that's too bad. You really couldn't charge the new girl more to compensate.

I don't think you could ask the parents to pay for your daughters flight either. I know it's really annoying though

Option number one is the fairest assuming you can find someone to go with her.
Could she fly alone with a whatever you call it when you have a person responsible for you? begins with a c?

Chaperone. I think you need to pay for the service, but that could be worth considering.

I would: speak again to the first friend's parents. Explain that you will be offering the flight to other friends if you find them, in which case you will return what they've paid minus admin charges (so they get back £180 - £35 = £145). They will either corner their DD and get her to go (but do you really want her, now she's proved flaky once?), or agree (they'll be glad to get most of it back).

You find new friend, explain that you can make the transfer, but they'll need them to pay the cost of the flight on the day it's bought (c. £180 plus that £50 or so). As that's the actual cost, it's fair to them, and as you'll do the admin it's also hassle free for them. And apart from rebooking faff, it's no cost to you.

i think at 15 your dd is capable of flying on her own tbh. i remember my little sister doing it at 15 and younger - and this was pre mobile phones
I could understand if she was just going on a holiday with her friend but she is going to stay with people. If you/she find someone else who wants to go then thats good but if you don't that shouldn't stop her going

She surely doesn't need a chaperone at 15!

I travelled to North wales by train changing several times when I was 15 or 16 for a science weekend - far more difficult than getting on a plane.

But don;t give the friends back their money. You shouldn;t have to pay a red cent of their DD can't go.

I agree with HairyPotter and tomverlaine. First time I was sent off on my own I was 11! And yes, pre-mobile phones etc. I think it's a great experience for a young person and she shouldn't lose out on it.

Your DD can fly by herself surely? You drop her off, she gets picked up at the other end? If she is a sensible girl, and knows not to chat to anyone- (iPod and magazines will keep her occupied.) then I am not sure what the problem is?

Call and speak to the mum. Don't text!

I'd say option 1 is the best. I wouldn't worry about a 15 year old flying on their own, especially if there are no connections and they've flown before. Just make sure you talk her through, or maybe write down the stages (bag drop, check in, security, watch for gate number etc). She'll be able to text and call you all the time apart from in the air and in the passport queue.

Let her go by herself, or if you do find another friend to go with her then a is the best option. Other parents will have to suffer their DDs changing mood and lose the money.

She'll be fine travelling alone, as long as there is someone to meet her at the airport.

Thank you all for your comments. I also think the first option is the one, I will call the original friends mum this evening and tell her that if we do find someone else to go in her place then she still won't get any of her money back AND her DD can't suddenly change her mind in a weeks time.
My DD is OK with flying on her own (Easyjet will allow anyone over the age of 15 to go on thier own as long as they are not in charge of anyone 13 or under), just me being apprehensive!!

I'd just let her fly alone tbh. It's only a short hop and there are no changes.

"just pay the £85 and transfer the flight to them with original friend's parents loosing their £180"

You can't do that. That means that the original parents will be subsidising the replacement's flights.

All you can do is:

Parents of original girl: If you can find a substitute, they get £180 (the original cost) - £35 (the transfer fee) back. So, they get £145.

If you can't, they lose the £180.

The substitute: They get the flight at the cost on the day of booking.

You: If there is someone willing to substitute, your DD goes with them.
If not, your DD goes alone, but you keep the cost of the second flight so that you don't lose out.

Let her go by herself she is being met off the flight. DD3 went to Germany when she was 16 and she was fine. My friends 15 year old has just been to South Africa he flew from Heathrow and didn't get lost going through security . He is Dyspraxic and very disorganised.

Let her fly on her own, I flew to Australia at 16 alone with someone to meet me, and I was quite a sheltered teen (it was also my first ever flight)

If you are really bothered why not transfer the ticket into your name? You can fly with her and turn round and come straight back - it will reasure you she can do the flight alone comming back.

With all the security at airports it's one of the safest things she can do by herself. I flew by myself at 15, it was great.

Let her fly by herself :)
The money lost for the ticket is theirs, so I wouldn't worry too much about it... If you, or they, can find someone else, that's fine. But if your daughter has another friend who wants to go and there are still flights available, it's probably actually cheaper to make an entirely new booking, because there's no £35 admin fee to pay :)

Am I the only person on the thread thinking blimey????

A 15 YO who cannot be dropped off at an airport and picked up at the other side? Really?

My DD's friend did this when she came out to us on holiday. Dropped off at the airport by her parents and collected by us in Nice at the other end. She was 12. We're doing the same this year with a 12 YO boy (friend of DS).

In any event, you absolutely cannot ask the friend's parents to pay for your insecurities. They're losing their flight costs.

I thought that all airlines provided a chaperone to children younger than 16.
I would be quite happy to let my 11 YO DD go off on her own.

I would talk to the parents of the original girl, explain that the only way they will be able to get any of the money back is if you can find a substitute. Assuming that they are aquainted with parents of possible substitutes I would leave it to new and old travelling companions to sort out financial details. Agree with dd order of friends to ask and let them get on with it. Explain the admin fee and differences in flight cost on the day. If I was them I would probably find a figure somewhere between option 1 and 3.

How does your dd feel about travelling alone? If once you've explained it to her she is happy, that or as someone else said a quick trip there and back for you would be an option, but then is grey area as to what you would pay to original girl.

DD is fine with flying on her own - she is more apprehensive about being there for 2 weeks without an english speaking friend (our friends are Italian and don't speak english). They will absolutely dote on her & I think she will learn a lot of italian in a very short period of time but it is more the lack of teenage buddy to go to the beach with etc.
Appreciate everyones comments! Appears that the friend who has backed out has now gone away with her family for a week so I couldn't get through to the mum last night to find out for sure what is going on

I'd send her on her own. She will learn fantastic Italian so quickly, people pay thousands for full immersion in another culture!

I also flew on my own at 14 and again at 15, was met at both ends. Wasn't a problem at all.

I have read this and am thinking what on earth are the parents of the original travel companion thinking of letting their daughter pull out at this late stage and thereby losing £180 . I would be of the "you've made a commitment so you have to stick to it" school

But that doesn't help you in your dilemma. Given the other parents clearly don't give a fig (or they would have been on the phone sharpish about getting their money back surely) I would get another friend lined up, pay the difference for change of name and let the other parents argue that that was NOT the right thing to do in the circs. If you leave it for another week until they come back from their hols it will cost even more to substitute the ticket

I would be livid my dd was let down and yes I would find somebody else to go and just charge them the top up costs.