cancellation

[Nermín0]

Not being able to receive a refund after the airline cancels your flights after January 2021 is very unreasonable. How are you meant to get to your destination with no flights? Why should the guest lose out on more money after being distraught of not being able to travel? I disagree with this policy as it is an issue outwith the guests hands. Guests should be able to receive their full refund if there has been any circumstances related to Covid-19 and any other pandemics in the future with proof shown e.g. airline cancellation email etc. It has been bad enough holidays have been cancelled never mind being out of pocket due to the host refusing a refund and adhering to the AirBnb policy.

I'm writing this because I was due to fly to Bali in March 2021 for my birthday but after receiving a call today about my flight being cancelled. I was distraught. I tried cancelling one of my stays but I was losing out on 50% of the cost when it is 5 months in advance. I understand losing 50% of the cost due to unreasonable cancellation but this is outwith my own reach. 

[Anonymous]

@Nermín0  This is exactly what travel insurance is for. How is it fair for the host to be your de facto insurer? Why didn't you choose a listing with a more flexible cancellation policy?

I'm also struggling to see why you feel the need to cancel your entire booking rather than request a date change or alternate flight route. The trip is several months away, and there are many ways to get from a UK port to Bali.

[Nermín0]

Travel insurance doesn't cover this situation. I didn't chose a flexible cancellation policy because it was a year in advance. How was I meant to know there's a pandemic on the way? Unexpected things happen out of hand. The airline phoned today to say it's cancelled and did not give me an option to change dates or anything else. So there's actually a deeper meaning behind this cancellation than you think. I understand the economy and everyone is losing out on money due to this but what happened to being generous and offer a refund. Generosity goes a long way than thieving peoples money...5 months in advance. Unreasonable no?

[Sharon1014]

@Nermín0   You mention that you booked a year out.  As in March this year.  The pandemic was already in full swing, with your own PM succumbing in late March.   So you took a risk, knowingly, and now one that may have backfired.  

Nevertheless, I agree with @Anonymous  that you should negotiate a date change, both with the airline and your host.  Just don't take no for an answer.  Call them back and insist on a date change.  And make sure you take out travel insurance (the cancel for any reason type) if you do manage to rebook the dates.  It's somewhat unusual for an airline to be cancelling scheduled flights 5 months out so definitely follow that up.

[Anonymous]

@Sharon1014  By all means the airline should be forthcoming with either a refund or date change. But I don't recommend using the "don't take no for an answer" approach with an Airbnb host. 

[Anonymous]

@Nermín0  "Theft" is not a word I would use to describe honoring the terms of a policy that you willfully accepted when you booked. It's not your fault that the flight was cancelled, but nor is it the host's fault that you aren't willing to book a different one.