When my dates are not available (due to other bookings or blocked dates), potential guests are not able to submit a reservation request or an inquiry for those dates. This makes sense. So, both guests and hosts automatically know if the dates are mutually agreeable without wasting time discussing further. (Yes, that assumes that hosts keep their calendars up to date -- but of course most of us are well on top of that. I am!)
Sometime within the past year, Airbnb started a process of screening and blocking certain guests from booking according to an algorithm that can help predict guests who are planning to have (an illegal) party in the space. Here's the Airbnb policy about it:
I am not objecting to this policy! I'm sure it helps a lot -- and we sure need help to prevent parties. Much appreciated. Here's the problem: If someone is going to be blocked from completing a reservation due to this (or any other) policy, Airbnb should prevent them from trying to book -- exactly like the process for not allowing guests to try to book when the dates aren't available. AND Airbnb should simply give those guests a pop-up with a link to the policy at the time of blocking so that they will understand.
I am very upset about the zillions of hours and aggravation wasted, utterly wasted, communicating with guests and preparing for potential bookings when Airbnb is going to block them anyway. Since Airbnb hides the age (& sometimes the location) of the guests making an inquiry, I can't tell in advance if someone is about to be blocked.
In the recent past (perhaps still?) when Airbnb did finally block these potential guests, they never told them why! So then these potential guests wasted more and more time trying booking after booking, with listing after listing, aggravating more and more hosts as well, spending their own time on something that was never going to work out. If you have a policy, stick to it and be honest and up front about it! Please! We had many -- yes many -- attempted reservations in this category and most of them got a very misleading message from Airbnb stating that the reservation could not be completed due to "safety concerns" -- incorrectly and unfairly implying that there is something unsafe about the listing! I freaked when I first heard that -- and wasted even more hours getting through to Airbnb Support who finally said that it is the guests who "might be unsafe" to my property! I guess Airbnb needs people who have a better command of language and communication skills. Honestly. Yes, that's the point -- honesty.
I wish I knew how to get the right person(s) at Airbnb to read and respond to this.
