DEAR ABBY: I helped plan a 12-guy bachelor party in Boston. The best man’s initial email outlined the itinerary — two nights away and a Bruins game — and included a link to the Airbnb. Everyone RSVP’d with an enthusiastic “yes.” With headcounts locked, we booked the lodging and group-rate tickets. The total came to $565 per person (including covering the bachelor).
Once the price was announced, three guys backed out. I offered installment plans, but they refused. We filled one spot but were still left holding a huge deficit. While on the trip, the remaining attendees agreed that the dropouts should help cover the nonrefundable losses. We asked them for a reduced fee of $200 each. One of them paid, one sent half and the third has gone silent. They are all furious. I understand money is tight, but they shouldn’t have committed before we pulled the trigger on bookings. Are we wrong for asking them to pay for backing out late? — STUCK WITH THE BILL
DEAR STUCK: Airbnb and traditional hotels ask for a booking deposit so that they won’t lose money if someone backs out of a reservation. You should have done the same. If you had collected some or all of the money for the trip before making the deposit, you wouldn’t have suffered such a big loss when people changed their minds.
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