Extenuating Circumstance - Hurricane

[Becca1631]

Hi, 

I was planning to go to New Orleans Sept 10-12 for my bachelorette party until Hurricane Ida hit. I’d like to get a full refund but my host said I could only get 50% back. Shouldn’t a hurricane and power outage fall into the “Extenuating Circumstances” policy? I spoke to an Airbnb rep and they said the refund decision is up to the host.

I need to rebook something ASAP and would hate to ask everyone to pay twice. 

Can anyone help? 

[Colleen253]

@Becca1631 If you read the extenuating circumstances policy, hurricanes that are a common occurrence in certain parts of the world are excluded. How about checking your travel insurance policy?

[Angelika201]

It also says widespread power outages and declared state of emergency would fall under this policy. The last thing NO needs is tourists while they are trying to recover.

[Brian2036]

@Becca1631 

Ten days from now the hurricane will be long gone.

NOLA is good at recovering from this sort of thing and the French Quarter will be back to business as usual before you know it.

[M199]

@Becca1631 

Wait it out, @Colleen253  and @Brian2036  are correct.

As a host, I would also,  absolutely stick to my policy.  Just from what has been stated, I would be in a state.  Parties are not allowed on Airbnb. Personally, I would cancel your stay.

[John5097]

@Becca1631 There are over a million without power and governor is saying it could be longer than 2 weeks. I think host would need to submit proof of professional backup power supply if host doesn't have power and could be longer than 2 weeks to restore. If not your option would be to wait it out and see if services are restored, or cancel now for 50% refund. 

[Michelle53]

@Becca1631   The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov 30.   NOAA predicted a more-than-usually-active season.  Travellers booking trips to areas that regularly experience hurricanes during this period should purchase CFAR travel insurance, or check the host's cancellation policy before booking.

[Anonymous]

@Becca1631  All of the above advice is solid. I hope you and your group secured travel insurance with the CFAR benefit pointed out by @Michelle53 - too many people these days seem to think their Airbnb host is supposed to act as their de facto insurer. If your travel budget is wholly dependent on unforeseen but extremely plausible environmental or pandemic-related events not intervening, in these times, travel is simply not for you.

Still, if your host determines that your booking can't be fulfilled in the advertised condition as a result of ongoing power outage or storm damage, you will be entitled to a full refund. And Extenuating Circumstances could be invoked if a state of emergency is active in New Orleans on Sept 10, or if travel into the area is banned. 

If you'd rather secure a Plan B than wait until the last minute to see how things shake out in NOLA, please make sure to book somewhere with a cancellation policy flexible enough to buy yourself time to make the decision. Or, alternatively, go ahead and accept the 50% loss as the cost of a small lapse in planning savvy, and consider it a kind way to help out a host who is going through a much, much rougher situation right now than you are.

[Brian2036]

@Becca1631 

It appears that the situation in NOLA is worse than I had imagined.

NEW ORLEANS—The winds and rain from Hurricane Ida have passed, but the devastation wreaked by the storm weighs on every aspect of life here.

Schools are closed indefinitely. Officials say power will be out for up to three weeks. Cell service is spotty, and hospitals already burdened by Covid-19 are relying on generators and water reserves since water and sewer outages are widespread.

Roads are blocked, stores are closed and the heat is punishing, with the National Weather Service issuing a heat advisory Tuesday for southern Louisiana and southern Mississippi, predicting a heat index of 105 degrees.

They really don’t want tourists going there now.

 I think you probably would be entitled to a refund. You should try to contact the host and ask them to confirm that the property will be unavailable on your dates.

[Laura2592]

@Becca1631 as someone who owns property in New Orleans I have to say that your bachelorette party refund really has to be taken in context of the grander scheme of things. I am sure its disappointing (heck I had a vacation visit to my pretty condo a few blocks from the Quarter planned in a few weeks and will miss the chance to get some R&R.) Some things are not meant to be. 

There are bigger fish to fry. Why not extend your host and the rest of the city of New Orleans a little grace? All of the policies on extenuating circumstances are there for the reading. New Orleans is certainly no stranger to hurricanes. Hopefully you got some trip insurance and can move the festivities elsewhere. But in the meantime, your hosts probably hate that they are losing out on income they likely very much need, may have sustained serious property damage, are without power for an indefinite period of time, and may not know the whereabouts of beloved pets or friends and family. Put yourself in their shoes for a moment and ask "whose issue is more serious?"

(and yeah, ABB is not where you are supposed to be booking a bachelorette party. Let's hope you meant you were going to get drunk on Bourbon and use the host's home only for sleeping.)

[Brian2036]

@Laura2592 

Or perhaps just sleeping and puking?

Male (and female) strippers would clearly have to be restricted to the front yard. On the other hand, if they didn't stay overnight (and who can afford that!) they would be visitors, not unauthorized guests, and Airbnb wouldn't object.

[Debra300]

@Becca1631 

I understand that you probably just want the host to provide a refund immediately so you can alter your travel arrangements without significant financial loss, but I think the host has a right to wait and see if the reservation can be honored.  I'd grant a refund after a storm or hurricane only if the ports of entry/roads were closed, or the structure was uninhabitable, and there was no way to recover before the guest's scheduled arrival.  Ida hit NOLA on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.  So, it's a well-known historical fact that the Crescent City is in Hurricane Alley. 

If you have to book elsewhere, I suggest to everyone that they should purchase travel insurance/use a credit that offer travel insurance anytime they are traveling from home no matter the duration or destination.  I use Allianz Travel Insurance, and this is their link regarding coverage for hurricanes:  https://www.allianztravelinsurance.com/travel/planning/hurricane-insurance-coverage.htm.  Please note that if you do receive a refund, Airbnb will still keep their service fee, about the same amount as a travel insurance policy would have been for your trip.  With that coverage,  you probably would already have had the claim check electronically sent to your account by now.  Instead you are fretting about losing half of the money you've paid for an uninsured bachelorette trip, and may not be able to afford going to a new destination.

It's not fun, but that's often the case with lessons learned.

[John5097]

I host in a hurricane prone area. Considering the damage it seems reasonable to allow guest to cancel two weeks out. Some parts could get power restored within two weeks but it’s very dangerous after a hurricane. Host also have the option to add loss of income to their STR insurance. I definitely would not want guest during or after a hurricane. Presumably this host has a multi bedroom STR and hasn’t sustained as much damage and had other options, while many there don’t have any options, can’t move, have no where to go and in really bad situation. I personally just plan to cancel guest. If it was just a Cat 1 power can still take two weeks to fully recover and would hope guest wouldn’t cancel but this was a Cat 4. And I just don’t want anyone to be in a dangerous situation. Most people die after the hurricane. There are a lot of worthy places to donate to people who really need help. 

[Debra300]

@John5097,

I host in areas that regularly get hurricanes and torrential storms.  On every one of my listings, I have the following photo on each of my listings with a tag that says we recommend that guests purchase travel insurance.  I can only lead them to water, but can't make them drink.  However, I don't feel that I should be a guest's default travel insurance, because they didn't obtain coverage.  I grew up in Northern California, and every summer there are brush fires.  Nowadays, they seem to occur more frequently, and with more ferocity.  People should treat travel insurance the same way as the old American Express ads slogan, "Don't leave home without."

[John5097]

@Debra300 @I agree she should have purchased travel insurance however most of the existing reservations on September 11 will likely be eligible for full refund under extenuating circumstances poclicy as basic services will not be restored by then. Now the guest will have to wait until last day for this host to cancel or not. As a host I think there is too much risk less than two weeks after Cat 4. Guest isn’t responsible for damage after a hurricane. I would also check with you STR insurance if you have it. Letting guest ride out a hurricane in your place could be considered neglect. I’m in a flood zone, no private insurance company offers insurance for wind or flooding. If guest doesn’t cancel I would have to cancel them. Airbnb is a great way for extra income to recover from hurricanes. Repairs or rebuilding could take much longer and it a choice host make. 

Edit: You mentioned you are from North West and just some "brush fires". Are you familiar with the Paradise Fire in 2018? There was a good doc on that. The interviews of people who survived. People were all stuck on the highways going out and hundreds of people died. NOLA was in a simmular situation and thankfully the levies didn't break. I think at some point a host has to put the lives and safety of their guest first. For those who rent long term, longer than 30 days, be aware you can't force your renter to evacuate. I had one like this and didn't respond to any communication, then landload/host will also be responsible for paying for their hotel room for however long it takes to repair your place. There are all kinds of trash for months after a major hurricane all pilled up on the streets. The downtown area will recover first if they have underground utilities. It took 2 weeks after Cat 4 when I lived downtown, but other places took over 6 weeks. I think 3 weeks to recover utilities if very optimistic but hope so. Just really difficult situation, but there are people much worse off than an Airbnb host and guest on vacation. Its no business how guest decides to contribute to charity, and I have at least 4 guest a month in town for a wedding or celibration, that doesn't mean they are thowing a party. Lot of wacky assumptions.