New EC- full refund for ANY reason if voucher is OK

[Inna22]

I just revived clarification from customer service. Any guest who booked before March 14 will have an option to get full refund via voucher at any time regardless of hosts cancellation policy. This applies to all stays into the future and reason for cancellation is not asked. Hosts will not get a pay out. Guests will not need to contact customer service. This is one of the options on line. We can all assume that we do not have a cancellation policy in effect for any reservation booked before March 14

[Sarah977]

@Inna22  So this means that host cancellation policies are non-existent for all guests who booked before March 14th if they are willing to accept a voucher in lieu of cash. This is important for all hosts to know, so I responded to bump it up to the first page again.

[Dimitar27]

Looks the same like the airlines and most of the hotels. If you cancel, you will not get your money back. You will receive a voucher for another stay...somewhere in the future. Valid 3, 6 months or year.

[David6871]

I made reservation back in February for a 1 month stay in September. I canceled last week, got NO refund from the Host and have raised a resolution ticket with Airbnb to get a full refund or partial refund or travel credit for next year but no response from them yet.

[Andrew1928]

@Inna22 yes this is absolutely ridiculous! In New Zealand all travel restrictions have been lifted and there is absolutely nothing preventing guests from staying! In Countries like New Zealand the policy should be easing not getting more strict!

[Pilar1]

@Andrew1928 Have ALL travel restrictions been lifted or just within the country? While it’s great that New Zealand seems to have eradicated the virus, would your PM want to put you all in peril again by allowing foreign visitors while the majority of countries are still barely getting out of lockdown?  It just wouldn’t make sense to me but I’m sure you’re better informed. 

[Andrew1928]

@Pilar1 I am not talking about foreign visitors...I am talking about local domestic NZ guests that are getting full refunds for stays within NZ when there is no reason why they cannot stay!

[Pilar1]

I assume this is happening to you @Andrew1928 , are these in the near future and what are the reasons given for the cancellations? Have you tried to get any help from C A reps? 

[Brenda328]

@Inna22   This now appears to just be a cash flow technique that Airbnb is using to get themselves through this time financially. 

If a host has a guest scheduled for July 1-7 and they have paid $3000, Airbnb would have to pay the host their share of that $3000 on July 1st if the guest chose to keep that reservation or 50% potentially if the guest chose to cancel with a strict cancellation policy.  If Airbnb gets that guest to cancel right now and accept a voucher that means that Airbnb gets to keep all the guest's money for right now as opposed to having to pay the host out on July 1st.  

And Airbnb knows the demographics:  approximately 1/3 of credit vouchers/gift cards are never used; among millennials that rate goes up to about half.  If they can keep from having to pay out hosts now, and potentially never have to pay out 1/3 to 1/2 of that money, this is a huge financial windfall for them.

[Fred13]

Very logical take and astute observation @Brenda328. What I have done is roll over my guests into the future since late March till all of June, so Airbnb gets to keep the guest money meantime which I do not find that unreasonable and I preserve reservations which in all likelihood will not be subject to a Covid-19 'Escape'-Clause in the future (let us hope).  I could see now why they opted for a voucher vs. encouraging moving reservations  forward , it comes across easier-to-stomach for the guests, since it would be easier to use. Yes, it does no favors to hosts in general since there is no guaranteed the voucher user will use it on the very listing which 'created' the need for a voucher in the first place.

[PaddySeventeen0]

@Inna22 @Andrew1928 @Brenda328 @Pilar1 

Just FYI, the COVID Extenuating Circumstances policy has also now been extended to July 15. 

June 1 Update 

Reservations for stays and Airbnb Experiences made on or before 14 March 2020, with a check-in date between 14 March 2020 and 15 July 2020, are covered by the policy and may be cancelled before check-in. Guests who cancel will have cancellation and refund options, and hosts can cancel without charge or impact on their Superhost status.Airbnb will either refund all service fees or issue travel credit that includes them for covered cancellations.In order to cancel under the policy, you will be required to attest to the facts of and/or provide supporting documentation for your extenuating circumstance.

The host’s cancellation policy will apply as usual to reservations made after 14 March 2020.

Cancellations will be handled according to the extenuating circumstances coverage in effect at the time of submission, and reservations that were already cancelled will not be reconsidered.

https://www.airbnb.ie/help/article/2701/extenuating-circumstances-policy-and-the-coronavirus-covid19

[PaddySeventeen0]

Please note:

"You will be required to attest to the facts of and/or provide supporting documentation for your extenuating circumstance"

"Attest to" is a relatively recent term being used in the EC policy, and basically means that the guest must simply make a statement to CX that they qualify for an Extenuating Circumstances cancellation, either verbally over the phone, or just a couple of lines in an email. No proof, documentation or supporting evidence is required in these instances. 

[Lorna151]

@PaddySeventeen0  Do we not need proof? I am struggling to provide government evidence it is not safe to travel and also Spain has 14 day quarantine when we arrive and only staying 4 nights? 

[PaddySeventeen0]

Not if you're willing to accept a voucher, and your booking was made before March 14, with a check-in date before July 15 @Lorna151

[Jerry250]

@Lorna151 Depending on your date of travel to Spain the UK govt / foreign office currently has in force an advisory against for all UK citizens against 'all but essential foreign travel'. This was reaffirmed by the Prime Minister at today's 5pm daily briefing. This should be sufficient proof that you should not leave the UK - depending on your travel dates (this restriction looks set to stay for at least the next 3 weeks - as that is when the UK quarantine regulation is due to be reviewed). You can also ask your host (via messsage) to move your dates or refund you. Good luck.