Woman Asks If She’s Required To Pay Her Friend Back After She Missed Their Vacation — ‘It’s Not Our Fault She Wasn’t Allowed To Fly’
Missing a vacation you paid for is a bummer, but is it fair to force your friends to pay you back for it?
PeopleImages.com - YuriArcurs | Canva Pro A group of friends was excited about their trip to Hawaii. They planned, packed, and drove to the airport, but once there, TSA stopped one of them and refused to allow her through security. The other friends carried on, boarded their flight, and reached their destination.
Naturally, the friend left behind was upset and made a bold request of her friend group when they returned from the trip.
The friend demanded her other friends reimburse her for the portion of the vacation that she missed.
The friend’s frustration is certainly valid. I know I would be enraged if I spent nearly a grand on a vacation I wouldn’t even be a part of. But is forcing her other friends to pay her back really the solution? They are not at fault, so why should they have to foot the bill?
One of the friends from the group took to Reddit to ask for advice on the matter.
The woman explained that she and three friends planned a trip to Hawaii, splitting the costs of the flight, hotel, and car four ways. They each paid around $800, not including the activities they booked, which totaled about $250 each.
Security wouldn't let the friend board her flight because of a suspicious item in her luggage.
As the friend group went through the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on the day of their departure, one of the friends, who the woman referred to as Sarah, was stopped for what security found in her bag: a recreational vape.
“She says she just forgot it was in there and didn't intentionally bring it, but it doesn't really matter either way,” the woman wrote. “TSA ended up calling airport [police] and Sarah was not allowed to board the flight.”
Since marijuana is illegal on the federal level, TSA’s response to discovering any marijuana products is the same in every state and airport — to confiscate and report it.
While TSA doesn’t actively search for these products in individuals’ luggage, they are required by law to report any illegal item they find during the security screening process, and that includes marijuana, medicinal or not.
Jim Lambert | Shutterstock
It’s up to law enforcement to decide whether the individual can still resume their travels. In this situation, the police gave Sarah a ticket and a court date and prevented her from passing through security, inevitably forcing her to miss her vacation.
The rest of the group went on their vacation as planned, but they returned home to an angry and resentful friend.
The remaining three friends boarded their flight and enjoyed the vacation without Sarah. They had planned and paid for a Hawaiin getaway and were unwilling to miss out because of one friend’s mindless mistake.
Naturally, Sarah wasn’t too pleased with her friends when they returned from the restorative vacation that she partially paid for, so she demanded they reimburse her portion.
“Sarah is mad at all of us for going and wants us to pay her back for her portion of things since she couldn't go,” the woman wrote. “But I don't think we should have to! It’s not our fault she wasn't allowed to fly and I didn't budget for paying her half as well,” which she detailed would be about $350 each.
While Sarah's feelings are valid, as the woman in the post pointed out, she has no one to blame for the unfortunate events but herself.
“I don't think she's actually mad at us, I think she's mad at herself and taking it out on us,” the Redditor admitted. “I think the whole thing is just really frustrating for her so we’re giving her grace there.”
Perfect Wave | Shutterstock.com
While the friend group contemplated paying Sarah back to “keep the peace,” they also believe it’s not entirely fair for them to pay out of pocket for her mistake.
Reddit users argued that Sarah needs to take accountability for her actions rather than put the blame on her friends.
It makes complete sense that Sarah was upset. No one wants to miss out on an island vacation OR lose thousands of dollars, let alone both at once over a minor mistake. However, as the friend on Reddit noted, Sarah's anger is misplaced.
Ultimately, she left the vape in her bag, whether intentionally or not. She must take accountability for the fact that her actions — or negligence — resulted in her missing the flight and vacation. It's unfair to expect her friends to pay for her portion because of that.
“Sarah sounds like she hasn't had to face much accountability for her actions in life if she honestly expects others to fork over hundreds of dollars for HER mistake,” one commenter suggested. “I hope [the original poster] stands firm and refuses to pay.”
In the end, Sarah and her friends will hopefully move on from this experience, as friendship is far more important than money. They seem to be giving her grace and understanding, as all good friends do. On the bright side, Sarah will likely never make such a mistake again before boarding a flight.
Francesca Duarte is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team based in Orlando, FL. She covers lifestyle, human-interest, adventure, and spirituality topics.