Man refuses to pick up wife from airport; leaves Reddit divided over who's wrong: ‘She needs to grow up'

Hindustan Times

17-06-2025

Going above and beyond for your significant other, while forgetting practicality, is often considered a mark of a loving relationship. However, sometimes, logistics may hold you back from expressing how much your partner means to you.
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Recently, a man's confession about refusing to pick up his wife from the airport and asking her to meet him at the hotel instead left the internet divided over who is wrong.
In a Reddit post shared on June 14, a user posted about his experience with his wife on the AmItheA***ole (AITA) community page, where people let the internet decide whether they are wrong or not. The Reddit user revealed that he and his wife were travelling to a city, and he arrived there a week earlier for work and was staying in an Airbnb. When his wife arrived later, they were supposed to shift to a hotel. So, he asked her to come to the hotel by herself, as taking an Uber to pick her up wouldn't be logical.
'She also knows the city well - we actually lived here for a year, a couple of years ago, so she's totally familiar with the airport and how to get around. I thought it made more logistical sense, but she was really upset when I suggested this. AITA for not picking her up from the airport?' he asked Reddit.
Later, the man added that he had also been on business trips earlier, and his wife had never come to meet him at the airport, and he was always fine with it. Therefore, he thought it wasn't a big deal to her and scheduled a business meeting around her arrival time.
Reddit users disagreed with the husband and stressed that he shouldn't have approached the situation with a practical mindset. 'NAH. You're thinking of practical logistics. She's thinking she wants to see her partner asap, and that they'd be excited to see her asap,' one user commented.
Another commented, 'Neither is an a**hole, but making your spouse happy sometimes requires you to be much better than an a**hole.'
A comment read, 'No one's the AH, but it's a nice gesture to meet your partner or loved one at the airport, and it shows you're excited to see them. It sounds like you're more of a practical person, and your wife sounds more romantic and sensitive.'
Another said, 'Your wife's feelings are worth the extra Uber ride even if it seems unnecessary to you.'
Some Reddit users supported the husband. One user wrote, 'If I have to take a taxi to meet a spouse whom I've been away from for one week, and she's coming to a place she used to live - nothing romantic about that at all. I find the wife is ridiculous.' Another commented, 'He arrived ONE week earlier - this level of emotional maintenance is not for me. I think the wife needs to grow up.'
While romantic gestures are the mark of a flourishing relationship, the tug of war between practicality and emotional gestures can often lead to one or the other partner bearing the brunt of neglect. The husband's choice made logistical sense, but his wife and many Reddit users felt he overlooked the emotional value of a simple act—meeting a loved one at the airport. Neither side is entirely wrong; it's about differing expectations.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional advice.