Why should the hosts take all the pain

[Rosemary254]

Question to Brian Chesky

The reason I have strict cancellation policy, (even though you tell me I will get less bookings), is because I have overheads and bills I have to pay, and need to budget from a secure base.

I understand we are in unprecedented times, but why can't the policies stand, (moderate policy the guests get all their money back anyway), it is just the strict policy that is effected.

Guests make their booking with us understanding that, they get 50% back, if it is a strict cancellation policy,  which means that we both take responsibility.

I don't see why I should take more responsibility for Covid than the guest, I depend on the income it is my sole income, and I have £000 for April, 

The guest in many cases will be able to get their 50% back, through their holiday insurance or their bank insurance, I can not get anything back

you offer 1/4 of a 1/2 , which is 1/8 of the booking fee,

Why do you think this is the right thing for you to do- change my cancelation policy from receiving a 50% back to receiving. 12.5% ?

This will make me and many others of your community insolvent, where as on the other side of the equation, the guests would only receiving half of a payment that they have already made, this would not cause them incredible hardship or make them insolvent.

Please explain why you have done this?

[David3267]

They'll never explain, move the goal posts at least four more times and who knows? My thinking, 12.5% is better than nothing, I'm getting more fed up with people who chose flexible and now want all their money back. Bet most of these don't buy open train tickets or flexible flights or book hotels with pen cancellation policies.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Rosemary254  The fact is, whether we like it or not, that Airbnb had an Extenuating Circumstances policy before Covid 19. All they have done is confirm that guests can use this for all reservations up to (currently) the end of May if booked before March 14th.

The fact that this policy exists means insurance cannot be claimed on.

[Huma0]

@Mike-And-Jane0 

Exactly. Although a lot of insurance policies don't cover pandemic situations, some do, but the fact that Airbnb has instated policies that allow the guests to claim refunds at the hosts' expense means that even guests with insurance policies that covered them may have difficulty claiming on them because Airbnb in its wisdom had decided it's just easier and better PR to let the hosts take all the pain instead.

Why? Because they simply don't care about losing  hosts. Just look at how they are spending most of their new $1 billion investment... er, on marketing to recruit new hosts, with a tiny percentage going  to help out existing, long standing and dedicated hosts in really dire straits and, even then, by 'invitation only'.

How do you think that makes those hosts feel, that are losing their income, their homes, having to sack employees who desperately need income too, when they hear that  Airbnb is using their new, massive investment to replace them with fresh, clueless hosts?

[Mike2059]

You actually said it all, I feel.

[Lucas28]

Simple mathemathics, there are much more guests on the planet then there are hosts, so were does airbnb get their bussiness from? guests right in the first place, so who will they protect in the end? same answer of course.

[Susan17]

Well it's a terrible pity they've reneged on their loudly-trumpeted and globally-publicised "100% Full Refund" commitment to so many of their prioritised guests then, isn't it @Lucas28? (Thousands of furious posts and articles from short-changed guests all over social and mainstream media to attest to that, including on Airbnb’s own official FB page)

Not a very smart business move for any beleaguered company to shaft both their service users and their service providers at once. 

[Lucas28]

It is a pity indeed, I was always bragging to fellow hosts about this company compared to other  hosting companies but the last years I get more and more bussiness from other companies so in the end with all this covid cancelation problems we will all look for the best possible company to work with. Airbnb will not be one of them for me.