Airbnb completely threw their hosts under a bus regarding Covid-19

[James207]

Why exactly are we being told to bear 100% of the financial burden of this? Oh, right, because Airbnb doesn't actually care about the hosts or their financial well being.

And we aren't Marriott, or United or Airbnb that will probably get bail outs from the government.  We just get slammed with the fall out.

The costs for cancellation should be split 50/50. If the guest took out travel insurance then it won't be an issue for them. It always, always seems to fall on the hosts to eat the costs if there's adverse weather or events and guests want to cancel. It's incredibly frustrating.

[Jeff-and-Pam0]

Here's my tweet to Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky:

@bchesky Please listen to your #Airbnb Hosts. http://bit.ly/2TWTBsz Your coronavirus policy to refund guests 100% is throwing us under the bus. Allow guests to apply credits to a future trip like the airlines. You are alienating hosts worldwide #airbnbhost #airbnbexperience

[Karen53]

It would seem like a brilliant time to demonstrate their value system "We care about our hosts!" and to think of the headline that would make ... it would boost their company's rating sky high. 

[Anthon1107]

Hello fellow hosts,

I trully believe what airbnb is doing to as should not be accept it.

I won't write here again about what you already know, but I want to call collegues for a massive responce to this brutal, careless and irresponsaible acction Airbnb is taken.

Many of you, like me, might deoend 100% on airbnb income. Yes: it is my job.

At the moment I went burst having to cover the cost of empty aparmantes and no 1 penny from anyone to help me on that.

My proposal: Let's say goodbye to Airbnb and move all listing to other platforms.

Easy and clear.

We should organise a date for a mass withdrawing of our listings.

[Tyson-And-Marie0]

My understanding is that Airbnb is NOT refunding the fees they collected from the guests but rather keeping those for future use. So we are losing 100% of our revenue but Airbnb is keeping 100% of their fees for future travel credit? Can anyone confirm that?

[Rowena29]

@Tyson-And-Marie0 

Up until very recently the communicaitons from airbnb to hosts and guests indicated that airbnb was keeping the guest service fee to use as credit for future bookings.

HOWEVER in this latest change of policy - the one that enabled ALL guests adn hosts worldwide to cancel penalty free from Mar 8 - April 12 ( or whatever the actual dates are) aribnb are also refunding 100% of the services fees to the guest - ie they are not keeping anything as part of the "we are all in this together" campaign.

Their very latest release ( the one hand signed by Brian Chesky etc etc) is one of the better pieces of explanation put out for sometime IMO.   Also IMO It would have a great deal more impact if airbnb had actually been following it's own policies in the lead up to all this  - but their history of not following the house party policies, the extenuating circumstances policies, the privacy policies, in the years leading up to this, erodes their credibility when they really need to take a moral stance.

anyhow, at least its somewhat equitable ( between host, guest and platform)  currently...

[Alex1497]

We should all boycott airbnb and move business to platforms that will allow as not to go bankrupt. 

[Karen53]

name those platforms that are any better ...

[TaRi384]

Why wasn't there a system in place where guests could insure their trips so if they want to cancel it they could do so at a minimal cost. Why do we have those rules if Airbnb can just revoke them at any time? I feel that I have been left hung to dry. Host shouldn't have to shoulder all the burden. I don't know if any of you notice... but airbnb is always asking host to help with countless things but they never offer to help. It is so unfair that we are being treated this way. #WithouthoststheresnoAirbnb.

[Sherylynn0]

So disappointed in Airbnb and their utter disregard for hosts who are actually the ones that make their whole platform work. They should have contacted the hosts where bookings fall in this period and ask what they would like to do in terms of refund. Some hosts would not have minded giving the whole amount back but others would most likely have asked for a 50/50 especially when the reservation is in 2 days and there is almost no hope of recovering that amount. This whole unprecedented situation should be about give and take on all sides, by all parties. This was just brute force decision making, consequences be damned.

[Jenny349]

My understanding is that AirBnb is not refunding the fees they collect from guests but rather keeping them for future use.

Earlier in this thread a host in Canada (?) posted that Airbnb is refunding fees to guests in the form of a coupon for use against future bookings.

[Karen53]

Well, now would be the perfect time to demonstrate to their hosts the "we care about our hosts" value system they have been selling. I mean, what a headline that would make for them - very positive I would think for their company - hard in the short term, excellent in the long term.

[Clare345]

Having just lost over £4,500 to this ridiculous extenuating circumstances clause I will be removing my property from the Airbnb platform. The guests should be covered by travel insurance for this sort of thing so why should we small businesses bear the burden?

[Adriano78]

So now Airbnb ask to guest to contact the host before canceling the reservation just for a formality!!!!!

Airbnb=Shame= you stealing our money!!!

"Hi Adriano

I just wanted to confirm that Seville is impacted by the restrictions put in place in Spain. (I’m doing this as a formality — Airbnb says to contact a host before canceling to get a full refund under their COVID-19 policy.)

Can you confirm that Sevilla is essentially locked down?

Thank you,
Andrew"

[Krystal16]

I have a flexible cancellation policy so for me I have lost bookings but as long as they cancelled within the 5 days they would have gotten a full refund anyway.  I can understand for international travelers if they cant get here but local travelers are being allowed to cancel as well.  One of my units is close to an indoor pool where they were having competitions for the Canadian Olympic swim and dive teams, all my guests would have shown up if the tryouts were still going on, people are not going to miss their change to go to the Olympics.  
Anyhow, what I did was reached out to everyone within 24/48hrs to tell them this was cancelled and they could get a refund if they cancel their booking, I would much rather have them cancel now and free up my calendar then have them sit until the 6th day and cancel them.  

So within 24-48 hours both units have now actually been booked(discounted of course), and these new bookings fall under the regular booking cancellation policy, there is still international travelers who cant get back to their home country yet, or possibly people who were staying in hotels who would rather have an Airbnb and be able to cook in a home instead of having to go out to restaurants all the time and risk exposure.  Basically what I am saying is if you have bookings still that could qualify for the COVID-19 extenuating circumstances GET THEM OFF YOUR CALENDAR NOW...  

[Jeff-and-Pam0]

Good suggestion; however, Airbnb can change its policy again and your new reservations could be considered "eligible" for a full refund. The only fair and guaranteed thing to do is for Airbnb to allow hosts to extend a credit to guests for a future trip.