A Message From Our Founders

[Airbnb]

We know it has been a challenging time for hosts in our community, and we understand that the coming days may be filled with more questions and even more uncertainty.

Today, Airbnb founders Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia, and Nate Blecharczyk renewed their commitment to supporting hosts during this difficult time and to keeping everyone in our community safe. In case you missed their message to hosts, we wanted to share their thoughts here:

Dear hosts,

With the current global crisis, we know that many of you are experiencing a significant loss of bookings and a large number of cancellations. The last few days have been incredibly challenging and confusing for everyone. It's our goal to be as transparent and proactive as possible.

First and foremost, we are going to get through this crisis as partners—our success is dependent on the success of you, our hosts. We are working day and night on a plan of action that will help you get through this extremely difficult time. We will share this with you as soon as possible in the coming weeks.

Second, with the World Health Organization declaring a pandemic, we made the difficult decision on Saturday to put in place a global policy allowing all guests to cancel eligible reservations for a full refund—including all Airbnb fees. We know this decision has caused incredible hardship for many of you. Many hosts were already accepting cancellations outside of established policies. You have asked us why we did this when some other companies in our space have not. We want to make sure you understand our thinking.

This pandemic is leading cities and nations to undergo extreme measures. In this crisis, our first priority is the health of the public and our communities. We did not want guests making the decision to put themselves in unsafe situations and creating a public health hazard because of a commitment to their bookings. We believe this is the responsible thing to do given the guidance of governments and health experts.

While it’s clear to all of us that the coronavirus has deeply impacted our community, we know that this moment will pass and travel will be back. As people are starting to use Airbnb for long-term bookings and stays close by, it’s clear that we need to be a part of helping all of us get through this as quickly as possible. The desire to connect is in all of us, and we will be together again, but for now our priority is to do our part to keep everyone safe.

We are partners, and we will get through this together.

Airbnb’s Founders,

Brian, Joe, and Nate

[Gerhard4]

zeker als je denkt dat de meeste reizigers een reisverzekering hebben waarop ze kunnen claimen, echter door het " goedkope" airbnb model, sluiten reizigers steeds vaker geen verzekering af (buiten Nederland ) nu wil Airbnb naar de beurs, dus deze virus komt geheel op een verkeerd moment . ben je al aan het zoeken naar alternatieven on te adverteren??

[Susie0]

This didn't address the question of guests with travel insurance.

[Gerhard4]

when some one travels , they should (unless they have enough money to burn) purchase travel insurance. we are not the airbnb travel insurance, and Airbnb is playing the good Samaritan with our money,  I have not seen them on tv yet, telling the world how good they helped all these stranded travelers by refunding their (our) money 

[Sharon1014]

If it weren't so serious, it would be hilarious. Just can't believe they are going cap in hand to the US govt to fix a problem Airbnb created all by themselves. And what a pointless exercise for the "global" community.   If I were a potential investor in an IPO (which incidentally is probably worth 50% of what it was 4 weeks ago), the first thing I would be doing is seeking to get some common sense on the board and in management. No business owner with any sort of acumen deliberately sets fire to their own inventory (let alone then asks taxpayers to fix it).

The longer Airbnb delay making amends to hosts, the more host inventory they are going to lose and the company will be worth even less because of it.

From Monday Airbnb should (at a minimum) -
1. Uphold all host cancellation policies.
2. Offer guests "Cancel For Any Reason Insurance"
3. Waive the Airbnb host fee for 12 months minimum
4. Make all bookings optional 10% off for non-refundable payment (regardless of reason)
5. Give guests already booked the option to defer for 12 months with seasonally adjusted credits (and pay hosts the anticipated revenue per normal arrangements as if the booking had proceeded).

While it would be a lovely gesture for the company to reimburse hosts all of the lost income, in reality that is unlikely to happen.

At law, the company can argue "exigent circumstances", so very unlikely any class action suit would succeed. Fair? Nope. But that's the reality check.

However it isn't too late to rescue this current train wreck. Except the longer they wait, the greater the damage to the company's potential net worth as hosts head for the exits.

[Sandra1671]

Hi

could someone please tell me what the cut off date for guest cancelling and getting a full refund? The one article said up to April 14, my whole month of April was cancelled and everyone received a full refund.  Now people in the end of May want to cancel... geez this may not be an issue then. Please help! 

[Adriano78]

@Sandra1671   what i believe that hosts they will lose 100% of their money at least until the end of May. What we can do now is to block our Airbnb calendar till the end of May and put our ads on other platforms (vrbo, booking...)

[Christine1]

@Sandra1671 

Sorry Sandra,  and others in distress, but as you have probably seen by now, it has gotten worse, in your own country and others. 

1. If Princes and Prime Ministers, and National Health leaders are catching this disease, then you know that it is moving as if it were an almost unstoppable invisible wave across the globe.
2. Stopping travel and all people to people movement and therefore contact, appears to be an essential part of the defense against Covid19. If it is allowed to spread unchecked then there is not sufficient resources to assist individuals to survive it.
3. The fact that it infects many people but may not cause immediate symptoms, or any symptoms at all, leads to thousands of individuals being silent carriers, who are rapidly spreading this virus around the world. Covid19 is travelling for free. 
4. Take what steps you can to prepare a personal financial strategy based on a severe reduction in your Airbnb income for quite some time. Put your plan into action.
5. Being as nice as we possibly can, to guests who need to cancel.  You're more likely to end up at the top of their choices when they resume their travel. What ever the reason your guests originally wanted to travel will probably still be a driving force in the future. They just don't know yet when that time will come.
6. A kind and compassionate word or two, may lead to booking dates in the future, but it will also go a long way to helping everybody maintain their dignity and self pride. 
7. Be the host that you would want to book with if you were travelling and things somehow went wrong. 
8. Spare a thought for the staff who are taking our calls at Customer Service. Demand is through the roof, and staffing levels are down, because it's not safe to be in the workplace. 
9. 3 out of the 4 people who live in my home at this time are currently sheltering here indefinitely as a result of this situation.
10. We are each on our own version of Gilligan's Island, we can't get off, and we need each other to be patient and accepting.
11. I give thanks to the medical community, many of whom have lost their lives to this situation. That's something that can never be repaid. 

All the best to all. 

Christine. BA smile a day.

[Sandra1671]

You have made a lot of assumptions on how I have handled my guests. I have given full refunds into August without any hesitancy on my part!  I was expressing my concern at that point no time. Your comments are very condescending and are not necessary. 

[Sandra1671]

Thank you, it would be nice if they would  not leave such a wide opening. Thank you for responding. 

[Albert180]

Today, Airbnb founders Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia, and Nate Blecharczyk renewed their commitment to supporting hosts during this difficult time.

REALLY HOW ARE YOU SUPPORTING HOSTS?  I AM LOSING MONEY HAND OVER FIST DUE TO YOUR STUPID CANCELLATION POLICY.  WITH BOOKING.COM AND HOMESTAY I MANAGED TO STILL KEEP THE GUESTS BY OFFERING THEM A VOUCHER OR BOOKING A DATE LATER IN THE YEAR.  I HAVE NOT LOST ANY  INCOME THROUGH THOSE SITE. YOU  3 FOUNDERS ARE IDIOTS. 

[Albert180]

A MESSAGE TO ALL HOSTS!

WE SHOULD BE DEMANDING THAT AIRBNB PAY US FOR THE CANCELLATIONS WE HAVE BEEN FORCED TO ACCEPT BECAUSE OF THEIR STUPID CANCELLATION POLICY AND DEMAND THEY REIMBURSE THE GUESTS WITH THEIR (AIRBNB'S) MONEY.  NOT OUR INCOME! 

[Kelly902]

So what are you doing to help us Hosts again??? That’s right not a lot. 
My Business will come to an end in a couple of weeks.. like other hosts this is our main income... with families, rent, mortgage Etc.

so as much as we know it’s not our guests fault but it’s not ours either.  As a host I also use other travel sites .. so it’s crippled me financially already.  So how will Airbnb continue without any hosts??? 🤔

[Michela361]

Tutte stronzate , c'è gente che ci campa con Airbnb e non state aiutando gli Host ma solo i Guest ....ma quali partner ??? 

Spero che vi facciano tutti causa e che falliate presto 

[Candy103]

The UK is essentially looking at shutting down for the foreseeable future but most likely the next 12 weeks for certain, that’s pubs, hotels, cafes, restaurants shops! Please, Please, please help your guests and hosts by removing all cancellation fees. You have a duty of care to implement this immediately. We are experiencing cancellations on a daily basis and neither the guest nor host should be penalised for cancellations at the point we are having to deal with a daily worsening situation personally and financially! PLEASE ACT NOW!!

[Christine1]

@Candy103 information already went out on this situation and what you are suggesting is already being implemented. 

Two weeks ago from here in Australia, I was able to facilitate a full host refund to a Korean guest.

I also applied for her booking fee to be rebated as well without too many problems. We used the regular guest cancellation tools. The biggest hassle was getting the trust of the guest to initiate the cancellation as she stated that her call to Airbnb Customer Service had resulted in being advised that if the host cancels, she would be entitled to a full refund.

I think she misunderstood this information, and thught it was an instruction to request  her host-me to cancel.

She insisted Airbnb CSA told her to request me to cancel.

I am prepared to give Airbnb CS the benefit of the doubt and put it down as a language misunderstanding.

Eventually she trusted me to facilitate her full refund, even though I have a strict cancellation policy in place. 

Now that things have become even more widespread, Airbnb has installed an extra tab for guests to nominate Covid9 as the reason for their inability to (safely) travel.  When a guest does that the Host will receive the relevent prompts. Whatever the reason Hosts can always advocate on behalf of their guests and thankfully this Covid9 situation is also recognised as an potential impediment to responsible hosting.

Sincere Regards.

Christine from Wombats Studio at Glenbrook