Why are Hosts with Flexible and Moderate Cancellation Policies Being Punished?

[Aron1902]

I saw that Air B&B announced that they will be paying hosts 25% of what they would have earned from all these Coronavirus cancellations, but hosts with moderate and flexible cancellation will not receive anything -- only the hosts who had strict or nonrefundable cancellation policies.  Returning a portion of the rental income to only the hosts who have the strictest cancellation policies makes no sense -- particularly when Air B&B encourages hosts to do exactly the opposite and be flexible with their guests to encourage bookings. Does anyone else feel this is extremely unfair? 

[Andrew883]

I have asked Airbnb to confirm this but have received nothing yet. I feel it is EXTREMELY unfair. Flexible hosting is there to help Airbnb and help the guests.

I use flexible hosting and it is of NO benefit to me. Infact, pre corona, I have lost money because of people cancelling very close to their check in dates. In one instance it was for a week's stay, income lost for that week as no one else booked it.

Not a penny received.

I can live with that, I knew the risks going in.

However, people with inflexible cancellations now stand to benefit from refunds? That is categorically unfair, not just to those with flexible policies but also to those with inflexible.

Huh? What do I mean? 

Well, the costs for cancelling are almost always less than the costs for staying the full time, so if Airbnb gives you 25% of the money acter cancellation, that is less than 25% of the potential full earnings, so Airbnb apply a haircut basically.

Repeat that for however millions have strict policies, combine with totally shutting down the flexible people, and here we have Airbnb engaging in what can only be described as a PR move, because this does not help people.

[Aron1902]

100% agree. They need to make this right. How do we get this issue in front of someone who makes decisions over there?

[Brenda328]

@Aron1902  I agree with you completely.  I have a strict policy so I (in theory) will get 25% of 50% of my reservation amounts, which is an insignificant pittance.  But ALL HOSTS should receive this payment for any reservation that was cancelled using the COVID-19 cancellation reason.  That would be extremely easy for Airbnb to track.  It should not be dependent upon the type of cancellation policy the host had in effect.

[Jo184]

Agreed, but I'm not sure how your answer is showing up as having resolved the problem! 

[Kalika0]

I have the same problem.  I have been so flexible and courteous with guest feeling  like I represent airbnb and want to give them a good name???  And now I will receive 25% of NOTHING??? That won't even pay the electric bill much less the mortgage.  I was reading VRBO has a better thing going on.  I have always been loyal to airbnb but I have to say that hasn't paid of in the end. 

[Kalika0]

Can someone also explain why Brenda 328 is marked as the resolved answer when she is the only one not in our boat?  No offense Brenda I see you are agreeing with us, but I don't see how her post resolves our problem. 

[Susan17]

@Aron1902   @Andrew883 @Kalika0 @Brenda328 

The answer to your question is that, when deciding who to screw over (most), Airbnb will always choose the point of least resistance, and those they feel will roll over easiest. As such, they will consider hosts who have chosen lax cancellation policies that don't give them much protection (ie moderate and flexible) to be far more willing to do the company's bidding - and therefore least likely to kick up a fuss when shafted - and a much easier target than those hard-nosed rebels and charlatans with strict cancellation policies.

I realise that all sounds very Machiavellian, of course, but that's how Airbnb operates, sadly.

[Eva-and-Jay0]

Agreed, absolutely unfair.  I have always disliked mean cancellation policies and do not book with people that have them so obviously chose flexible on my own listing.  They could at least offer us 10% or something to keep the wolf from the door so to speak.

[Melodie-And-John0]

@Aron1902 , Im there with you literally!   To be sure, I've benefited greatly over the last years by being flexible via cancellation by lots of bookings that probably wouldn't have happened if I weren't, we also take Instant book and it has often filled a last minute cancellation.  This is the first time its hurt me in the pocketbook in any large manner and its a bit of a kick in the boys to say the hosts that have offered Airbnb and our guests the best of all worlds policy wise get the least or in this case, nothing whatsoever. 

The Irony is they were sending us all messages at the same time to consider resetting our policies to most flexible which I was already!!!!!   Im probably going to keep the cancellation setting the same because "this too shall pass" and I think it will pay me in the long run and thats what were in this for, the long run.   Stay well, JR