Cancelled bookings as flights suspended ; host refusing to refund the booking amount.

[Pragati3]

Hello all,

I booked an apartment  in Dubai on 17th November for our upcoming trip to Dubia from 15th December to 25th December.

Made the part payment of $ 1188.On 27th November, the flights from my country(Zambia) were cancelled due to Omicron mutation fear.I  immedialtely cancelled my bookings only to find that host has put cancellation policies as no refund in case of cancellations.

I contacted the host and explained the situations.He wants to stick to his policies ,what sort of person wants to  make free money at someone else misery?

Anyway my complain is not really against host ,who is totally unknown entity to me.My complain is against Airbnb who is supposed to look after the welfare of customers who are helping them run this platform.I make bookings  at the trust(misguided) I  have on  Airbnb- not on some random host.

What did Airbnb do to help me-nothing except for sending me emails telling me about this policy and that policy.They do offer me $ 100 off on my next booking.,really who will book with them after such experience.

How is host penalised for such policy?

by probably getting to book his apartment again

by letting him continue displaying  this and other properies on Airbnb and assisting him make bookings .

I am sure he is busy praying he gets another fool  ,who trusting Airbnb will book his place,forced to cancel it and he makes money.

Meanwhile I loose $ 1188 (in my country this is my  2 months salary)

Airbnb seems just like another shark companies who is not there for customers but for money making only.

Please, advice where can I lodge legal complaint against Airbnb from other country-who failed to save their customers from such policies and just try  to put blame on customer?

Also,is there a way I can find that they tried on my behalf as they seem to claim(seems impossible)

Thanks in advance.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Pragati3 interestingly, when you entered into the booking contract, the cancellation policy was made clear to you so I am not quite sure what your complaint is. Surely your travel insurance will pay?

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Pragati3 I shall continue.

Think of the host - Some have financial responsibilities such as mortgages etc on their properties, some have staff to pay, All have utility bills to pay.

Why is it fair that they lose everything and the guest loses nothing?

[Elena87]

@Pragati3 

I know it's an unhappy incidence and you can feel injustice over this, but there is a wrinkle.

In practice, the host selects their cancellation policy from a limited selection provided by airbnb.

The booker selects a listing, and ideally should take into consideration the cancellation terms offered - it's in the Things to Know section when you are looking to book.

I fear you are lashing out and playing at who can I blame, however I'd bet that you overlooked the whole area of cancellation policy.

These days, book a flight or hotel, there are a laundry list of prices depending if you want to be supremely flexible or go all in to get the lowest price, so frankly it shouldn't be that much of a surprise it happens here too.

I doubt you have much of a legal case, with hindsight all this information was at your fingertips before booking.

Perhaps instead to ask the host if he would consider to part refund if they receive an alternate booking for your dates.

Someone here is likely to pipe up about travel insurance too. Were you covered?

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Elena87 I piped up about travel insurance 15 minutes ago.

[Elena87]

@Mike-And-Jane0 

Sweet! 

You are today's winner of stuffed meercat Sergei toy.

[Mark116]

I thought you still got a refund if government policies made it such that the guest can't travel?

[Colleen253]

Both policies in case anyone needs clarification:

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

https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/1320/extenuating-circumstances-policy

”My complain is against Airbnb who is supposed to look after the welfare of customers”. Why would you put blind trust in an OTA who simply markets the listing you chose to book? Why did you take zero responsibility for making yourself familiar with the terms of the deal you were entering into, before you hit ‘book’, and fail to obtain travel insurance that would have covered you for cancellation for any reason? In a PANDEMIC no less. 

[Lawrene0]

I'll just add, @Pragati3 , that if you ever do use Airbnb again, choose a place with a flexible cancellation policy. Hosts with that policy have, in effect, signed up to be your travel insurance, and it sounds like this is what you want. 

If you book a place with a strict policy, you have to abide by it. 

[David8879]

1. Read important stuff such as cancelations policies BEFORE booking

2. Buy travel insurance - that is what it is for. You wanted to save on travel insurance? You took the risk and lost.

3. Now you want to switch your loss to someone else?