My next sit is coming up a little less than a month. The pet parent told me she needs me to take her to the airport the day she flies out as well as pick her up. She has her own car as well as friends in her town. I’ve never been asked this before as my other sits have wanted the focus to be on their animals. My instinct is to tell her no for this reason. It feels outside of my responsibilities as a sitter. I’m curious if others have had this request and if so, did you do it and if not, what did you tell them? I appreciate the feedback!
Hi @bluet0917 and lovely to see you here on the Forum, welcome
How far away is the airport to drive to? Is it relatively close that the animals couldn’t manage for that time? I have done it often and am more than happy to do it again if asked. Sometimes its nice to just do things for people without the expectation of it being outside your sitter responsibility. As long as it’s not like 50 klms or so away, I don’t see an issue and it would probably help them greatly and with little interference in your time.
I guess it’s how she has asked is part of it @bluet0917 - you will take me vs please could you drop me off are two different things. Also whether it’s commuter time or middle of the night etc - do you want to do it? As @ziggy says, how far is the airport from her home? We’ve done it for HOs albeit we were using their car in their absence. Airport parking can be super expensive these days so might save her quite a bit. She should pay your fuel if it’s any significant distance or say you’ll do it but in her car possibly. It’s really up to you.
My question is are you having the use of the owner’s car and that’s why you’ve been asked to do this @bluet0917? Like @Cuttlefish says, how the owner expressed this request would determine my response and whether the car is indeed available for your use.
We’ve had two sitters, who arrived with their own car offer to take us to and pick us up from the airport, which is 50km away.
We gladly accepted, because both times our plane landed at 5AM and we would otherwise have taken a cab, because we didn’t want to ask friends to pick us up this early in the morning.
The sitters had to get up around this time anyway, so we were happy about their offer.
We were asked this by the HO’s who were leaving us their car, so this seemed appropriate. They also offered to pick us up or take us if needed (it wasn’t). I am not sure how I’d feel in the case of using our own car, but it would depend on the distance.
I don’t feel this should necessarily be an expectation of you as a sitter and if it were me in your position, I’d have preferred to have been asked about this during the pre-sit conversation.
I personally like to people to communicate and be fully transparent about all of their expectations before the sit is confirmed and locked in.
I offered to drop off homeowners during a sit. They didn’t ask, but they’d picked me up at the airport and were leaving me their car. It seemed like a gracious thing to do and they were leaving about 8 a.m. By contrast, another set of homeowners who’d picked me up at a train station in the U.K. and also left me their car didn’t ask and I didn’t offer, because they were leaving at 5 a.m.
I don’t have a problem doing something nice for folks if it seems reasonable to me. Not everything has to be about the pets and it would seem odd that a pet couldn’t be left for a reasonable drive to an airport.
Hello ,we were kindly offered to pick us up at the SF airport very close to the sitting and we will drop off the person from our next sitting at the station, I find it very good to be of service
I can drive, and I’m a good driver, but having others (especially people I want to impress like HOs) in the car makes me nervous. I also get nervous driving around airports, so I would probably decline unless, as others have said, they were leaving me their car to use (or if it was an airport I’m familiar with). In that instance, I would probably ask them to drive us to the airport, and then I’d drive the car back.
I think while it’s nice to be nice, don’t feel pressured to do anything you don’t feel comfortable with.
Hi @bluet0917 and a very warm welcome to the Community Forum
We have been asked to do this before and are more than happy to do so and we have also been given the use of the owners car.
It really comes down to whether you are happy to do this or not. If it is outside of your comfort zone or you are not happy with this request for whatever reason you need to tell them and the sooner the better so they can make alternate arrangements.
For reference, as a member, you can also add your TrustedHousesitters profile on to your Forum profile by following the attached link, should you wish. This will then enable others to offer you helpful advice and feedback.
I hope this helps and I hope you have an enjoyable sit.
@Cuttlefish she never asked and said, “I’ll need you to drop me off and pick me up from the airport.” This wasn’t made clear until AFTER I accepted the invite to sit. From her home, it’s 30 min and her departure is on Wednesday morning during rush hour. Pick up is at 7p. Had she been transparent in the interview about this and asked if I’m available/open to it, I’d feel more willing. Her delivery rubbed me the wrong way as I felt like “the help” vs this being an exchange between two folks, if that makes sense?
@temba the HO never asked but rather told me that I’ll have to drop off/pick up from the airport. She made no mention of whether her case would be available for use. My gut has been telling me I need to have a quick chat with her to clarify things. Thank you for your input!
From her home, it’s 30 min and her departure is on Wednesday morning during rush hour. 
Pick up is at 7p. Had she been transparent in the interview about this and asked if I’m available/open to it, I’d feel more willing. Her delivery rubbed me the wrong way as I felt like “the help” vs this being an exchange between two folks, if that makes sense?