Money Moral Dilemma: Should we give my in-laws the flight cancellation compensation we claimed?

Hoenir

I'm speechless that is even considered a dilemma. Words are beyond me. I'd be rewriting my will pronto. 

Marpau

Absolutely you should give them all of it. What is it you want a free holiday and all the compensation? Wow entitled 

primrose_penguin

If you want to stay on good terms with your generous in-laws and set your children a good example then most definitely. If you don't they will probably never give your family a free holiday again and you may spoil the relationship with them. Even though your flight was delayed you still had a good holiday which you did not pay for, be generous and thank them for a wonderful holiday and hand over the money, and be proud you instigated the claim. Greed is not a pretty thing.

J76W

Are you really this cheap? How would you feel if the roles were reversed?

Someone else paid for your holiday and you want to keep the compensation? This is a wind-,up surely?

Tigra_

Definitely not. They couldn’t be bothered to claim so why are they so interested now? Money grabbing in laws.

Also nothing is free in life so there was no doubt an ulterior motive to their original invite. Did you find that you went out of your way to help on the holiday? Holding doors open, carrying bags, listening to boring stories they told mid flight when you just wanted a snooze or agreeing to visit an ancient ruin when all you really wanted was to drink pina coladas by the pool.

I think they’re lucky to have gotten away with the liberties they’ve already taken. I’d propose a 99% admin fee plus 1% processing fee just to settle the matter and call it quits. Hopefully they’ll be grateful you were so understanding and will never mention it again.

Perhaps next time they could book flights that don’t get delayed.

TooOrangeyForCrows

The correct answer to this is pretty obvious: You split the compo money 50-50 and everyone's a winner.
Send them a cheque in a Santa-fronted card. Merry Christmas!

Blackbeauty65

Yes, 100% you should as they paid for your holiday. Would be very dishonest of you if you don't give them the full compensation 

CapeTown

Do you not like your in-laws?

dirtmother

My feeling is that given it is compensation per person not per booker or claimant, there's a strong but not conclusive case that you should be sharing the compensation on a per person basis - it sounds as though they experienced the delay too (and delays as an older person with children in the party may be especially trying whether they made it obvious or not)

It's not clear who did the legwork on rebooking the flights either, or who covered any of the expenses caused by the cancellation... or indeed the holiday expenses once there. Nor the financial circumstances of those involved.

I am making no assumptions at all of ingratitude. The people who booked and paid for the holiday choose not to claim compensation. Looking at it another way, if they had been the ones to claim, should they have shared it on a per person basis with the rest of the family?

nightstar12

I'd give it back simply because they were kind enough to pay for you in the first place. However, if it was me who paid, I wouldn't say anything and just never speak to you again since I'd think it was a very selfish thing to do considering how much money I'd forked out to take everyone out for a nice holiday. It's not a money problem, but a moral problem