General Etiquette > Life...in general

Picking up a friend from the airport (long)

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aj_prettiful:
Isn't it common courtest/proper etiquette that if someone you know is going to pick you up from the airport, you discuss with them the time your flight arrives (given the fact that there are several flights over several days that are available)?

One of my friends' parents moved to Michigan from Houston and for Christmas she was flying up to see them.  We go to school in a small Texas town that is 3 hours from Houston, an hour from Austin, and about 2 or 3 from Dallas.  I live near Austin.  Another friend of ours lives in Houston and a third lives in Dallas.  So she had the option of flying into/out of all three.  She's very much babied by parents (oh the stories I could tell) so instead of discussing with me what would be a good day/time, she has Daddy buy the tickets without even talking to me, and he chooses Austin, even though I'm the most restricted time-wise out of out friends).  He decided to fly about 3 days after our last final, which means I couldn't work for those 3 days (I only work for breaks, so I was coming back to it from the summer).  I don't make much and those 3 days equal several hours of lost pay, essentially.  And he also decides a very inconvenient time coming back--8:25 p.m. on a Friday when we have to be up at school the next day.  I live an hour away, so that gets me home at 10:00, which is a little late for me.  What made me most annoyed about that flight time is it leaves no room for delays.  She has a couple overlays, and, as anyone who has flown before knows, the more overlays, the more room for mistakes.

Wouldn't you know it?  I leave about 7:15 to make sure I get there early enough to find her, but late enough to not have to pay parking.  I get about 2 miles from my house when I get a call.  Her flight has been delayed, now it'll arrive at 9:04.  So I go back home.  I leave again about 8:00.  About 20 miles from my house this time I get a text.  Her flight hasn't, so she doesn't know when she's going to be here.  So now I'm waiting around for her text so I can know when to leave.  This is *exactly* why I would've told her to make her flight an earlier one if she had bothered to ask.  It's not like she didn't have the option.  I looked.  She could've flown in two days ago for the same price.  That would've been best considering I wanted to be up at school now.  Or she could've taken different overlays and made it here long before now (or, after, too) for different prices all within about 10-20 dollars of the amount he paid.

She even told me she tried to catch me before I let both times.  Um, yeah, you were there when I took you to the airport last time, it took us 45 minutes and I discussed with you how great the time I made was, since it's usually at least an hour and that it would definitely take longer on a Friday night.

So, done with my rant, just, please, consider it common courtesy to ask a person if certain flight times are convenient for them when you have the option.

ETA: I just got the text.  Now she'll be arriving at 10:30...which brings me home at midnight.  Perfect when I plan to get up early since I have a TON to do tomorrow.

EvilAlice:
I'm sorry, but I don't really understand this.  How is it that you were unable to work for 3 days?  Were you on standby, just waiting to hear from your friend that she had arrived?  It seems you knew the projected time, if not the date, as you knew what time to leave for the airport.  Then the flight was delayed.

I understand it was frustrating, but I'm not quite getting this.  Or why you didn't just tell her to call a cab or shuttle.

quietgirl:
Ah, this is a great opportunity to practice assertiveness.  "Friend, I am only able to pick up/drop you off at Austin airport on these days and between these times, due to my work/school schedule.  If those days/times don't work out for you, you'll need to talk to Houston or Dallas friend."  or "I'm sorry due to my work/school schedule I can't pick you up/drop you off on that day/at that time.  Perhaps you should make other arrangements."  There you go.  Make it very clear what you can and can't do.  And remember - you are not the one ultiimately responsible for getting your friend back to school - she is.

Good luck.

Chocolate Cake:
I found this post confusing also.

In any event, make it a habit any time you are picking up a friend to call the airline's 1800 number or check their website to see if the flight is on-time or delayed before starting out.  This will save you a whole lot of frustration.

ZipTheWonder:
I live in Austin, so I can tell you with an absolute metaphysical certaintude that they have cabs at Bergstrom.  :)

They also have SuperShuttles and rental cars, one of which I *really* think she should have arranged when she discovered that she was inconveniencing you.

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