http://chng.it/Tz7FVWdnqc
News media has announced that Airbnb has updated their refund policy. However, it is totally superficial: few people realize that Airbnb's COVID policy only protects themselves. It is a stark difference from the airlines and hotels that are waiving their cancellation fees and issuing full refunds to assist their customers. Airbnb's COVID policy forces the hosts to issue refunds, placing all the burdens of income loss on them OR the guests will receive no or little refund if their hosts refuse to refund.
Airbnb's COVID full refund policy applies only if a check-in date is before April 14, 2020, or within one month of the National Emergency declaration. However, we do not know how the virus situation will develop, and many events that were scheduled beyond April 14 have already been canceled, forcing many guests to cancel their Airbnb reservations. The new policy does not protect reservations with a check in date of April 14, 2020, or later except where the guest or host has contracted COVID-19. It is still extremely difficult to receive COVID-19 tests at this point. This Airbnb restriction encourages both hosts and guests to spread the virus unknowingly, endangering the general public as well.
Airbnb currently has a $1M giveaway: "The Unique Airbnb Fund: $1M for 10 groundbreaking ideas" with the entry deadline of 11:59pm EST on April 15, 2020. Isn't this a time for Airbnb to cancel this giveaway and use the fund to help their current customers, the hard-hit GUESTS and HOSTS? Airbnb has a right to cancel the contest without any legal consequences as stated in its Official Rules.
