Company tells worker to drive coworker to the airport after their 3-week trip: 'I don’t want to be known as the guy who takes people to the airport'

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Nov 23, 2025 10:00 PM EST

Driving someone to the airport is a huge ask. It puts a huge wrench in your whole day. You have to go there, handle the hassle of the departures line, make sure you're getting them there on time, and fight the crowd. Then you have to drag your sorry behind back home. Even if you live close to the airport (which most people don't), it's a burden. This is why this favor is usually reserved for the closest of family and friends. And everyone understands if you want to be stingy with that favor. Taxis are easy enough to get. 

This is an especially weird favor to be asked by your boss. Shouldn't they have money in the budget to cover travel expenses for their employees? Otherwise, maybe their employees shouldn't be traveling. You have a whole other job to do besides driving people to the airport. But that didn't stop one employer from asking. The way they saw it, they could squeeze out a little extra labor out of their already-overworked employee. But the employee wasn't ready to be taken advantage of. 

Add as a preferred
source on Google
Advertisement
  • A woman drives a man in the passenger seat.
    via Unsplash+ (Andrej Lišakov)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • The way they saw it, they weren't even close to their coworker. Plus, they had a habit that they were concerned would stink up the car. So they were left wondering what to do. Scroll on to read what happened in this story and decide what you think. 

  • Am I in the wrong because I didn't take a coworker to the airport?

    Just started a new job working 3 weeks on and 3 weeks off. This is my first time working for 3 weeks straight. I live around 2 hours from the job while my co workers could be anywhere in the US so most of them fly in. About a week and a half a guy I never met comes joins the crew. He was a chain smoker. At the end of the
    via u/theholylife
  • 3 weeks I was asked i could drop him off at the airport because he knew i drove to the location. I told him no I couldn't and walked to my car and left. The reasons why I didn't want to was because he smelted like cigarettes and cigars and I didn't want my car to smell Like that and also I don't want to be known as the guy who takes people to the airport
    via u/theholylife
  • before I leave. Now I heard that people know i didn't drop him off and he doesn't like me. I feel that I had the right to refuse to drop him off but AITA? Edit: thanks to everyone who commented. I feel much better with my decision to set the boundary and not let it turn into a nightmare like It has done for others. Once you do something nice it's just expected next time around.
    via u/theholylife

  • Commenters agreed that this was an odd request.

    Savings-Breath-9118 • 16h ago NTA if it's a real company they can pay for an Uber
    via u/Savings-Breath-9118
  • A woman looks concerned while driving a car.
    via Unsplash+ (Andrej Lišakov)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Reality-Von-Tease . 16h ago NTA. It's not part of your job and you barely know him, why should he be your responsibility?
    via u/Reality-Von-Tease
  • frogm... 16h ago Edited 2h ago . NTA. The smoke is reason enough although even without that I would have still refused since he was a stranger.
    via u/frogmuffins
  • Suspicious_Juice717 • 16h ago NTA That smoke smell seriously makes me sick to my stomach. Also, it's ridiculous to ask a perfect stranger to drive you anywhere, coworker or not.
    via u/Suspicious_Juice717
  • Was your drive to the airport the 2 hours? Cus hell no. Not that it changes my vote either way but I'm curious to what level the audacity rose?
    via u/Suspicious_Juice717
  • kiwifarmdog 16h ago NTA The smoking issue aside, it's very good to set that boundary early. For FIFO positions, the company should be organising transport to/from the airport for those staff. That is absolutely not your job, and if he's missing that transport for some reason that's his problem to deal with, not yours
    via u/kiwifarmdog
  • • ThisWillAgeWell 16h ago NTA. I am a lifelong non-smoker. I loathe the smell of anything smoking related. Many smokers don't realize how much the smell clings to their clothes and their hair and their skin, even more so if they're
    via u/ThisWillAgeWell
  • heavy smokers. You can tell who the heavy smokers are even if they're not actually smoking at the time. The smell is disgusting. If you reek of smoke, you're not getting in my car, period. "Sorry, I'm not able to do that" or "Unfortunately that doesn't
    via u/ThisWillAgeWell
  • work for me" are the only responses I would feel the need to give. If he won't stop asking, and insists on a reason - well, OK, pal, you asked for it. I'd tell him the truth. Now I heard that people know i didn't drop him off and he doesn't like me. Well, of course he doesn't like you. You refused him a favor. The question is, can you live with him not liking you?
    via u/ThisWillAgeWell
  • I could. I don't need my coworkers to be my best friends, or even to like me. As long as we are civil to each other and can work amicably together, that's all I require.
    via u/ThisWillAgeWell
  • . Electrical_Sky5833 • 16h ago NTA. The smoking issue aside, I had a former coworker who had to take the bus who lived near me. She asked me if I could drive her home a couple days a week and I agreed.
    via u/Electrical_Sky5833
  • It turned into a nightmare, she stopped buying bus passes and expected me to be her after work drop off, even after our shifts changed. A couple times a week was fine but the guy you're describing would definitely expect it each time you and him were there.
    via u/Electrical_Sky5833
  • TwoWeaselsIn Disguise • 16h ago NTA why can't the company comp a ride or driving/parking expenses?
    via u/TwoWeaselsInDisguise
  • Special_Initiative63 16h ago NTA. boundaries are • boundaries, and it's reasonable for you to not want someone you hardly know in your car with you, especially when you live so far away. it's weird your coworkers are spreading rumors about you when this could've been a legitimate safety concern.
    via u/Special_Initiative63
  • • hopingtothrive 16h ago Unless that's part of your job you should not be expected to chauffeur coworkers around. Any reason why they asked you and not someone else? Even if you go in that direction, you might have had other plans.
    via u/hopingtothrive
  • . LifeYesterday8222 • 16h ago Not your job...if having anything to do with your co-workers is asked of you off the clock then you need to be paid.
    via u/LifeYesterday8222
  • shelwood46 . 16h ago NTA, I am sorry, but your company has workers flying in and out and doesn't provide free shuttles to the airport? That's weird, that's messed up. If they know crews are flying in, there should be a bus for them, not just catch-as-catch-can with people who might have a car or calling an Uber. Absolutely not. No way.
    via u/shelwood46
  • • rabidgonk 15h ago NTA. If work is paying for this guy to fly to the office every week. They sure as hell can pay for his uber to the airport. If they want you to drive people, they need to give you a company vehicle, and make sure it is done during business hours.
    via u/rabidgonk
  • jdo5000 16h ago • NTA hate this assumption that cause you can drive you then want to be everyone's god damn chauffeur. If he's that upset about it he can get his own car and drive there.
    via u/jdo5000
  • live2s... .15h ago Edited 8h ago . NTA you get to say NO. It's one of the benefits of being an adult. Maybe you also just don't want some guy you don't know in the car alone with you. If they're mad about it then too bad. He can uber or one of the people talking crap about it can take him.
    via u/live2smyle23
  • Ok_Somewhere_8549 15h ago NTA. You're not a taxi service. Unless the company pays you for your time and mileage that's a no. Even if they did pay you I wouldn't take a smoker because the smell lingers.
    via u/Ok_Somewhere_8549
  • Fluffy_Fox_9650 · 15h ago NTA It's not your job to drive him anywhere and it's completely understandable you wouldn't want your car smelling like that and you don't want to be the coworker known for chauffeuring people around.
    via u/Fluffy_Fox_9650
  • UnTides 16h ago I assume you all make good money since people are flying all over for work, he can afford a cab. Your reason for declining is none of his or anyone else's business. NTA
    via u/UnTides

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

boss antiwork workplace-stories toxic-workplace job airport bosses work coworkers working reddit story toxic-boss workplace reddit thread bad bosses Reddit toxic-work-environment
Scroll Down For The Next Article