Cost-sharing trip causes dilemma

Dear Amy: I’m having a problem getting a friend to live up to her agreement to split expenses on a recent trip.

She (a friend, not a “date,” as we are not romantically involved in any way) was traveling on vacation to my town in central Florida (not staying with me, but with other friends of hers).

But, since my brother recently moved to NYC, she wanted to fly into NYC (so she could stay cheaply) and wanted me to come north from Florida so we could spend a week and go sightseeing, and then we would fly to Florida together.

I agreed to go to New York with the understanding that we’d split the costs.

When we got back to my town in Florida and I asked her to pay for half of the parking fee for the airport parking where I left my car, my friend asked why she should have to “pay for my parking.”

This isn’t a cheap fee — it was $100, though cheaper than alternative airport shuttles/limos.

Am I correct in asking for the payment since I would NOT have gone on this trip and, thus, not incurred the parking fee, except that I agreed to go with her and then drive her home from the airport? — Florida Fan

Dear Fan: I’m a bit on the fence here, but I don’t think you are owed a parking fee for your own car for a trip you wanted/chose to take.

Granted, if your car hadn’t been there at the airport, you both would have incurred a transportation fee to get to your final destinations, but you craftily imply that this airport ride was (almost) the sole purpose of you going on this weeklong vacation. (And yes, it was very nice of you.)

Ideally, your friend would have offered to compensate you for the oneway airport transportation you provided (it can be quite expensive) without you invoicing her, but I don’t believe she actually owes this to you.

Her expense in getting to and from her home airport and your expense in getting to and from your home airport are your own expenses to bear, at least in my opinion.

Readers often enjoy weighing in on this sort of question, and I am sure I will run responses in future columns.