Is it a thing for older people to be picked up from the airport?

[Anonymous]

I think this is all family-specific. In my family it is rude not to pick up guests from the airport. I would probably send DH to do pickup while I did dinner/bedtime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is the only region I have ever lived in where people seem to really push back against picking guests up. So I think it's regional vs an age thing. Or maybe people in DC are just less kind than elsewhere.

It's a city thing. You don't expect relatives in NYC to pick you up at the airport.

Well, I've mostly lived in cities, so, no. Unless you think the only cities in America are NYC and DC.

[Anonymous]

I pick people up when I can especially older people. If you Dad is not a regular user of Uber it will add to the stress of his day.

[Anonymous]

It’s incredibly rude to nit pick up guests from the airport

[Anonymous]

Normally I'd say that refusing to take a 10AM flight due to personal inconvenience and choosing a flight that gets in at 5:30 instead, during rush hour traffic and conflicting with your work schedules, is incredibly rude. But since it's the day after Thanksgiving and traffic should be light, yeah, you should pick him up. I do think it's fine for him to wait an hour or so if you need to handle daycare etc. first. But I assume your DH can do that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is the only region I have ever lived in where people seem to really push back against picking guests up. So I think it's regional vs an age thing. Or maybe people in DC are just less kind than elsewhere.

It's a city thing. You don't expect relatives in NYC to pick you up at the airport.

Well, I've mostly lived in cities, so, no. Unless you think the only cities in America are NYC and DC.

Well, many American cities are not all that city-like. I'm sure it's NBD to drive to the airport to get someone in Phoenix or whatever, but in dense cities with crazy traffic where a lot of people don't own cars and cabs/ubers are cheap and plentiful, the expectations are different.

[Anonymous]

Perhaps your father is more easily fatigued than before, and unless he's lived in a big metropole area, he may not realize how annoying it is to drive there and back in traffic.

My parents live in Paris, and for many years, my father would pick us up at the airport, because our kids were young and he didn't want us in a taxi.

Now, it's become too much of a hassle for him to drive there, wait for us, drive back, always in the worst traffic, etc. So we take a taxi.

You have to weigh your parents' current ability to function, and your own schedule. Which one takes priority? Also consider that in the future, this might change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is the only region I have ever lived in where people seem to really push back against picking guests up. So I think it's regional vs an age thing. Or maybe people in DC are just less kind than elsewhere.

It’s the freaking traffic out to Dulles and back. I can leave work early to rush my kids out of school/make them miss their activities and then spend 90 minutes driving with squabbling kids, and serve takeout for dinner - OR you can read a book in a taxi for 30 min and be welcomed into my home for a home cooked meal and relaxed kids happy to see you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is the only region I have ever lived in where people seem to really push back against picking guests up. So I think it's regional vs an age thing. Or maybe people in DC are just less kind than elsewhere.

We are spoiled by the multiple options to not being picked up. Except Dulles. 10th circle of hell.

DH’s mom lives a 90 min drive to a major airport. She was thrilled to use lift to get from National to Silver Spring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Normally I'd say that refusing to take a 10AM flight due to personal inconvenience and choosing a flight that gets in at 5:30 instead, during rush hour traffic and conflicting with your work schedules, is incredibly rude. But since it's the day after Thanksgiving and traffic should be light, yeah, you should pick him up. I do think it's fine for him to wait an hour or so if you need to handle daycare etc. first. But I assume your DH can do that?

For me this would be an issue bc we have one car and it is required for daycare pickup. Don't know about OP. However, on the day after thanks giving no one will be working, so I would just pick up my kids a little early and then have one spouse to airport duty while the other does dinner/bathtime/bedtime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Normally I'd say that refusing to take a 10AM flight due to personal inconvenience and choosing a flight that gets in at 5:30 instead, during rush hour traffic and conflicting with your work schedules, is incredibly rude. But since it's the day after Thanksgiving and traffic should be light, yeah, you should pick him up. I do think it's fine for him to wait an hour or so if you need to handle daycare etc. first. But I assume your DH can do that?

we didn't know that it was going to be the day after Thanksgiving - now my brother is going to pick him up (but will have to drive 1+hour each way)
My DH does not handle the dinner time / bedtime on his own.

[Anonymous]

I always pick up family flying in to visit me, young or old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's the day after thanksgiving -- are you really working a full day? When my kids were that age, they loved coming to the airport to pick up their grandparents. I'd leave the 1 year old home with DH, and you and the 4 year old pick him up. Feed the 4 year old in the car.

I love this idea!

[Anonymous]

I think it's generational and I also refuse to use Uber/Lyft because they are evil companies. I think people outside DC also truly don't understand how bad rush hour traffic is and what a big ask this can be. A relative of mine flew into DCA around 6 PM recently and asked another relative in Baltimore to pick her up. This turned into something like a 4-5 hour round trip.

Could you offer to pay for a regular cab for him so he can just get in line and not have to organize anything? Say you'll meet him outside and hand the driver your credit card?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Normally I'd say that refusing to take a 10AM flight due to personal inconvenience and choosing a flight that gets in at 5:30 instead, during rush hour traffic and conflicting with your work schedules, is incredibly rude. But since it's the day after Thanksgiving and traffic should be light, yeah, you should pick him up. I do think it's fine for him to wait an hour or so if you need to handle daycare etc. first. But I assume your DH can do that?

we didn't know that it was going to be the day after Thanksgiving - now my brother is going to pick him up (but will have to drive 1+hour each way)
My DH does not handle the dinner time / bedtime on his own.

Awww… I hope your dad is coming to help while your husband is recovering from his illness.