Have You Purchased a Air Ticket and Then Didn't Feel Like Going?

Lsaffrontea on 23/07/2022 - 23:08
Last edited 24/07/2022 - 18:40 by 1 other user

You may feel like I'm not going with the spirit of this community and foolish to waste money, and I feel the same!

I bought an impulse return ticket for Vietnam couple of weeks ago for almost $800, and ever since I haven't felt like travelling there. Looks like I wasn't thinking and I may have bought the ticket as I wanted to go "somewhere" but this was never where I wanted to go or would enjoy. Yes it is a dumb decision but everyone is not switched on 100% of the time.
Now going there is feeling like a chore and luckily I haven't spent any more e.g. visa, hotels, etc. The ticket is non refundable though.

I have spoken to some friends, and some say that now that I have bought it, I should go, but others have said that if I don't feel like it, pushing myself to go would not make me enjoy the trip, and I would just be waiting to come back, plus I would further invest in hotels, getting annual leave etc to go through the motions, so essentially they have asked me to cut my losses, don't go, and learn from it.

I feel like I have thrown $800 in the drain and finding it difficult to live with it, and neither am I feeling like travelling.

I've just written the above to ask if anyone of you have made such a dumb decision (not necessarily the same situation) and what did you do as a result?

On the side, what options do I have to minimise the hit? Do people buy air tickets off others?

Travel Airfare

Comments

  • salrock on 23/07/2022 - 23:19
    +2

    Can't you just get flight credit if you cancel ? What airline is it ?

  • Morien on 23/07/2022 - 23:23
    +10

    Gotta check the terms of fare.
    Check if they allow you to transfer ownership, change name, rebook, etc.

    Honestly, just go. Don't expect anything other than to have some nice food and stretch your legs. Go in with low expectations and I'm sure it won't be terrible.

  • bobbified on 23/07/2022 - 23:29
    +5

    ….and ever since I havent felt like travelling there.

    Why not?

    pushing myself to go would not make me enjoy the trip, and I would just be waiting to come back

    Have you been on a holiday before? Things are very different once you touch down and get out of the airport!

    I always try and book my tickets a few days to a week before when I really want to go and then just go. I don't like booking ahead because it's like torture waiting for the trip plus I never know what's going to come up with work.

    • saffrontea on 24/07/2022 - 12:44

      Yeah I guess nothing against the destination in general, but its not somewhere I believe I'll enjoy based on what I've read about it. But as you and others say, it may end up a lot of fun. I should have just booked it close to the date so I don't overthink.

      • bobbified on 24/07/2022 - 13:09

        ..but its not somewhere I believe I'll enjoy based on what I've read about it

        Keep an open mind about it.

        What other people enjoy and what you enjoy can be two completely different things. My job is quite stressful so when I'm away, I like to be a blob and just chill, relax and take things easy.. My mates like to book out the whole time and just go non-stop. I don't like it, but I often still go with them anyway - it's good to mix things up a little.

  • [Deactivated] on 24/07/2022 - 00:17
    +4

    I've just written the above to ask if anyone of you have made such a dumb decision (not necessarily the same situation) and what did you do as a result?

    yes. i just wrote it off as a loss & learning experience. i wasn't happy, but there wasn't much i could do about it, so i moved on and made sure to remember it in case i was in a similar situation in the future, so that i would think twice before doing it again.

    remember that it's only money, depending on how much you earn, probably less than 1 paycheck, you'll make it back with a weeks work.

    on the other hand, i have been in situations where i haven't wanted to go out / go travelling before, but have been forced to or went out of obligation and ended up enjoying myself, so you might find that you start enjoying yourself once you get there.

    • saffrontea on 24/07/2022 - 12:36

      Thanks for sharing. Obligation is missing as it was a solo trip :(

  • capslock on 24/07/2022 - 00:37
    +6

    I've felt like that before. I forced myself to go anyway and ended up enjoying it with no regrets in the end.

  • Mechz on 24/07/2022 - 01:11
    +1

    Why not just land at the airport and wing it from there? I often enjoy trips more when I plan nothing except the travel there and back. Never know what you might discover.

    It's not like you've book a ticket to Russia or similar.

  • holdenmg on 24/07/2022 - 05:49
    +1

    You bought an option to go (and return) and have elected not to exercise that option.

    Move on from there,..

  • sonicentropy on 24/07/2022 - 06:49
    +1

    Wife and I booked super cheap tix with air Asia to vietnam but hotel options were bad due to a local holiday. I tried to work with AA to change the dates it wasn't an affordable option. We ended up just using the first leg of the trip and had a awesome time in KL.

  • Mokr on 24/07/2022 - 08:53

    Treat it as something to talk about in standup.

    • holdenmg on 24/07/2022 - 09:12

      or discuss it in "Group"

  • screensaver on 24/07/2022 - 09:18
    +1

    I bought a vending machine at Ebay and iy was no good, I lost 1000. I had to forget it and move on

    • RockinIt on 24/07/2022 - 11:16

      Sell it as a statement piece for a mancave. No ragrets.

    • bobbified on 24/07/2022 - 11:20
      +2

      were you going to put masks in there?

  • djones145 on 24/07/2022 - 09:31
    +1

    be thankful it wasn't a house or a … Tesla lolz

  • morse on 24/07/2022 - 10:19
    +1

    Do people buy air tickets off others?

    Depends on the fare condition but usually there’s a transfer fee. Maybe see if any family or friends want to go and sell it to them cheap.

    Personally I would love to go to Vietnam if I was still child free (less keen with my toddler).

    You might find your mood changes closer to the time so could wait and see.

    Also if it was a cheap fare it might get cancelled and refunded based on some of the posts here and media reports.

    • saffrontea on 24/07/2022 - 12:38

      Been trying to talk myself into going but looks like I left it too late as its mid next week (and I havent applied for visa still).

  • nomoneynoproblems on 24/07/2022 - 10:20

    Get travel insurance now. It would be a shame if you were to get sick and no longer able to attend.

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 24/07/2022 - 10:41

    impulse return ticket

    Damn son what’s it like to have enough disposable income to just yolo like that :(

    • bobbified on 24/07/2022 - 11:25

      Now going there is feeling like a chore

      I guess, that's ^ what it feels like? haha

    • saffrontea on 24/07/2022 - 12:40
      +1

      I've seen people impulse purchase a lot of expensive stuff e.g. phones, cars, even houses due to FOMO and I think most of them dont even have the disposable income to match

      • cookie2 on 24/07/2022 - 19:50
        +2

        Once you've decided, move on and take it as a loss. We waste money on things all the time, that we don't even notice so don't worry too much about it. But… do something different next week anyway, even if it's small. Something to explore your interests or push your comfort zone. It'll make you feel better about not going (or atleast it would for me) :) enjoy your week OP.

  • zrach on 24/07/2022 - 11:08

    Why don't you feel like going? If it's the thought of planning things, why don't you just book a tour where everything's covered?

    Otherwise, maybe just book a hotel somewhere nice and consider it a break from everything. Vietnam should be cheap

  • Almost Banned on 24/07/2022 - 11:34

    Vietnam is great. Just go.

  • branners on 24/07/2022 - 11:41

    The first time I went to Vietnam I was apprehensive. I got the flights on impulse, because they were so cheap, and my wife sorted out the accommodation, hotels about $50 a night.
    Amazing place, loved it, been back three times since. Sometimes being impulsive is the way to go

  • bluesky on 24/07/2022 - 13:09
    +3

    Take it philosophically. In life, you can win a lot, and lose a lot. $800 is not insignificant - but lots of things in life we gain and lose, some significant ones will never even cross our consciousness. (E.g., a great job you never spotted, or landed while you were looking, good turns which nearly did, but never happen - owing to luck or fortune). On the other hand, always bear in mind all the significant good turns which already happened in your life - not having to worry about basic needs, living in Australia at this time, and so on.

    Weigh it up - you might end up enjoying it more than you think now. But if you really don't feel like it, don't go. Who is to say not going, may not lead to something good? You never know ahead of time.

    I ended up with quite a bit of unused, eventually expired giftcards (Crown, Ticketmaster) during last 2.5 years. A package I booked for the Van Gogh Lume experience - I ended up not going. I did not let it bother me that much. Of course, these events can provide lessons. E.g., in my case, I will re-calibrate and not hold so many giftcards in the future. Likewise, you can be less impulsive when booking in the future. But that is the extent of the lesson, no need to let it bear down on you more than that.

  • wittyusername on 24/07/2022 - 15:49
    +3

    Are you depressed mate? Focussing only on the negatives, not seeing any positives? If you're locked in it might be good to force yourself to get out and about.

    Otherwise, as others have said, learn from it and have a think before you click checkout in the future.

  • lainey13 on 24/07/2022 - 20:59

    Why don't you want to go? I mean yeah travel is a bit of a hassle but the actual experience makes up for it. On the plus side you're going to a CHEAP country! A really nice hotel is so much cheaper, food is cheap, tours are cheap etc… just go?!

  • j4ice on 28/07/2022 - 10:51

    I'm guessing your ticket is to Ho Chi Minh? It's actually not a bad hub to fly to other places in Asia. If Vietnam isn't your thing, why not book a connecting flight to Malaysia, Korea, or Singapore?
    Alternatively, if you just want to chill at a nice beach and resort with a few things around to do, Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam is a great place to visit and doesn't require a visa if you don't visit other cities in the country. I booked a 3 bedroom villa with private pool for the whole family and it only cost ~$400/night, solo travelling you can probably get away with $100/night for a half decent resort/hotel.

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