I completely agree with you @Kathi137 . My company manages 53 listings in the San Francisco Bay Area. In my opinion, I think the current "flexible cancellation policy", which allows guest to cancel up to 24 hours before checkin should not exist from the beginning. We have a lot of guests cancelled at the very last minute, a day before their checked in, or some better cases, few days before their check in, while the average booking lead time is 15 days. There is almost no way for us to get a new booking even if guests cancel with a 2 day notice. This cancellation policy definitely leave us, the hosts, in a very bad situation in many cases.
I understand we do have options to choose "strict", "firm", or other less flexible cancellation policies, but because the existence of the "flexible cancellation policy", and Airbnb has a filter to search specifically properties offer flexible cancellation, which brings more traffic to the properties that offer "flexible" cancellation. Therefore, if your property does not offer the "flexible" cancellation, it indirectly lowers your listing position to the 3rd or 4th page, instead of on showing on the 1st or 2nd page.
Overall, I think the "flexible cancellation policy" is extremely unfair to the hosts, given the fact that Airbnb knows how long is the booking lead time (how many days people book before their check-in day). With the algorithm, Airbnb indirectly "force" us to offer "Flexible" if we want to fill the calendars.
I do think VRBO's cancellation policy is a lot more fair and reasonable compared to Airbnb.