Friends Refuse Refund after Trip Cancellation, leaving Traveler Out $800
A woman is seeking advice after a group of friends refused to refund her money for a planned international trip she had to cancel due to illness.The traveler, who identifies as ”STAYING HOME IN THE EAST,” shared her situation with advice columnist Dear Abby, detailing a long-standing arrangement within the travel group.
The group,comprised of women who have traveled internationally together in recent years,operates with one member handling accommodation bookings. According to STAYING HOME IN THE EAST, this individual “loves to do” the accommodation search, than books the reservations adn collects funds from each traveler to cover their share. Flights, however, are booked individually.
the issue arose when STAYING HOME IN THE EAST was forced to cancel a recent trip due to illness,notifying the group three months prior to the scheduled departure. She requested a refund of approximately $800,representing her contributions towards accommodations and car rental.
However, the group refused the refund, stating that their expenses were now higher than anticipated and that her cancellation was not their obligation. STAYING HOME IN THE EAST expressed frustration that the group struggled to understand why she would want her money back, feeling she was being asked to ”subsidize their vacation.”
Dear Abby responded emphatically, stating, “No, you are not being greedy. You are being taken advantage of, which means you need to give serious consideration to whether you ever want to travel with this bunch again.”
Abby suggested a potential solution: finding a replacement traveler who could take her place and reimburse her for the $800, allowing the group to proceed with their vacation without incurring additional costs.
