How to deal with guests who want to cancel because of air quality due to wildfires?

[Adeline60]

I have an AirBnb next to Yosemite National Park, and wildfires impact the air quality as well as the park experience.

I have several guests writing to me expecting a cancellation with full refund. Thing is, it's not my fault if there is a fire, which is a very frequent occurrence at this season in the Sierra Nevada. 

Any hosts had similar experiences?

If so, I would love to know how you deal with such requests.

[Charley23]

I let everyone cancel that asks. We were very close to Claremont and Bear Fire in 2020, with tons of smoke, reaching 831 AQI. We closed 2 weeks. Cancellations filled from others. Everyone happy. Our fiscal year was better than the last.

We were smack in the middle of Dixie Fire in CA, 2021. We closed almost two months and ended up having our best fiscal year ever.

This year, 2022, many who cancelled are now returning.

Sometimes, it’s best to let people do what they want, be cheerful and understanding, and let them know you look forward to the future when they might be able to visit you. Word of mouth matters. We don’t want to alienate current or future guests.

@Adeline60

[Pete28]

If you don't let folks cancel, they are going to make up for it by writing 1* reviews. I'd rather give money back than put up with endless negative reviews. 

[Adeline60]

How can they write a review if they don't stay at the place? I'm not preventing cancellation, I'm preventing "people waiting for last minute to cancel and then want a full refund".

[David126]

You can not do that, AirBnB can overrule your policy.

[Adeline60]

Which policy?

[Ange2]

@Adeline60    I agree, ask them to contact Airbnb, the guests are supposed to supply documentation of extenuating circumstances for a full refund if you have a strict policy. But, having said that I have heard Airbnb does override policies.

@Pete28  They can only write a review if they cancel after the stated check-in time on the date of arrival.

[Susan206]

@Ange0 where does it say that guests are supposed to supply documentation? In spite of my strict cancellation policy, I just had an Airbnb rep cancel a reservation "on my behalf" (he made it appear, falsely, as if I was the one who cancelled) - because the guest was annoyed that I would hold a house concert during her stay. She had rented a bedroom in my house, and had asked me if anyone at the concert would go into her bedroom. I told her they certainly wouldn't, and that she would be able to lock the bedroom door with her key anyway. The concerts last 90 minutes from 7:30 to 9 pm and are quite sedate.  The Airbnb rep gave me ONE HOUR to respond to his email to me, and when I didn't (I was in a work meeting) he gave her a 100% refund. Maybe she wanted to cancel, and invented an excuse. I've been reading threads about cancellation, since I'm flabbergasted...

[Adeline60]

In my case, I had a phone call with AirBnb to talk about the issue. I made my case for about 30-minutes and the next day, I was notified that AirBnb ruled in my favor. The guest did not get his refund.

[Letti0]

@Susan206  Here are the rules for documention:

Circumstances that require documentation

Death of a host, guest, or their immediate family member. You’ll be asked to provide one of these documents:

• Death certificate
• Obituary
• News article naming the deceased

Serious illness of a host, guest, or their immediate family member. You’ll be asked to provide a general statement from a physician confirming that the person can't travel. The statement must be dated after the reservation was booked.

Government-mandated obligations including jury duty, travel restrictions, court appearances, and military deployment. You'll be asked to provide a copy of the official notice dated after the reservation was booked, including the name of the person fulfilling the obligation.

Severe damage to the home that makes it unsafe to host guests, or that prevents guests from accessing basic amenities like running water. This doesn’t include planned renovations. You’ll be asked to provide all of the following documents:

• Proof that the issue is being fixed
• An estimate of when it will be fixed
• An invoice for the repairs being done
• Photos of the damage

Airport and road closures that make it impossible to travel to your destination. This includes closures caused by natural disasters like earthquakes or severe storms. You’ll be asked to provide a notice of the road closure, or notice of the airport closure and proof that the flight was canceled.

Circumstances that require special review

There’s no required documentation for these circumstances, but our specialized team will review each case to confirm that you’re directly affected.

Severe security advisories for political or civil unrest in the area that the guest is traveling from, traveling to, or that the host’s home is located in. Examples include:

• Violence
• Increased military presence
• Severe damage to the area’s infrastructure

Changes to Visa or Passport requirements that make it impossible to travel to the destination. This doesn’t include lost or expired travel documents.

Natural disasters that prevent the guest from traveling to or from the destination, or that make it unsafe to host guests. Examples include:

• Severe storms
• Earthquakes
• Flooding
• Tornados
• Tsunamis
• Wildfires
• Blizzards or severe winter storms

Endemic disease or illness that suddenly affects a region or an entire group of people. This doesn’t include existing diseases that are associated with an area, for example Malaria in Thailand or Dengue Fever in Hawaii. Examples of endemic disease include:

• Ebola
• Zika
• Chagas disease

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1320/what-if-i-need-to-cancel-because-of-an-emergency-or-unavoid...

[Stay-Asheville0]

Jeez..... can you imagine being in their shoes? 

It sounds like you either get to make a choice between telling someone to deal with FIRE, or being a professional.  I know what I'd do...

[Adeline60]

Professionals enforce the policy they have in place. The fire is 40 miles from the cabin. Current guests leave us 5-star ratings even though the fire has been there for over a week.

We can't be blamed for poor air quality. When I travel, if I have to change my plans, airlines charge me a fee, hotels charge a fee or don't refund, and so when I host I should refund 100% with no question asked? That's not what professionals do.

[Lisa6354]

Wow unbelievable 

[Adeline60]

And I can perfectly imagine being in their shoes: Last month United Airlines got me stuck in Chicago airport, did not provide any hotel rooms, nothing. Had to sleep on a chair at the airport to catch the next morning flight. Got no refund, nothing. It was not their fault, they said. 

[Adeline60]

All, FYI in my case one guest did wait for the last second to cancel, then asked for a full-refund, on the basis that air quality was unhealthy in Yosemite Valley (my cabin is 60 miles away from the valley). Air quality was "moderate" at the cabin. I offered them to rebook my place at a later date, which they refused. 

I said no to the full-refund, so they asked AirBnb for arbitration. My call with AirBnb was not pleasant: They definitely wanted me to give a full-refund, but I explained that the guest had alternatives, could have cancelled earlier (we started discussing air quality 5 days before their stay), and basically waited for the last minute to cancel, thus preventing me from having other guests.

I also explained that air quality at my cabin was the same than what it was in Sacramento or in Los Angeles that day, and that if "moderate" air quality was an extenuating circumstance, tens of thousands of guests could cancel at any given time during the summer in California and ask for a full refund, since heat waves or wildfires frequently bring moderate to bad air quality.

The next day, AirBnb ruled in my favor, and the guest didn't get any refund.

In the meantime, a family with two kids who have asthma asked to cancel and get a full-refund because of air quality. I said yes right away because they did so 10 days upfront and there was a health concern at play.

In the end, I'm glad that AirBnb protected me in that scenario, but that was a close call.

[Ann475]

I am a guest who cancelled my reservation due to air quality in Southern Oregon, Ashland.

I cancelled 5 days in advance, but 2 hours and 47 minutes after the posted check in time.

I was unpleasantly surprised when the host did not offer a full refund, based on this check-in time policy.

I had paid $754, was being offered $280 or so refund. Wow.  She emailed that she would give me a full refund even within the 5 day time, if I wanted one. She reneged on that , but I had proof.

My husband has asthma , we are senior citizens. Whose "fault" is not the issue.
AirBnB ruled in my favor , I am getting a full refund, after including them in the dispute.

A disaster is a "Wildfire" . Poor air quality, no matter the distance, is a reason to cancel----period.

The host acted as if it was all my fault , it was very unpleasant. I am debating on reviewing this superhost , what do you think???

AirBnB policy is what the host agreed to , just as I, as a guest , agreed to cancel 5 days in advance BY CHECK IN TIME. Fortunately the "Disaster" policy allowed me a full refund. Rules are rules , "Sometimes you get the bear, and sometimes the bear gets you."