Coronavirus - Refund Update - Extenuating Circumstances -March 10, 2020

Susan17
Level 10
Dublin, Ireland

Coronavirus - Refund Update - Extenuating Circumstances -March 10, 2020

Airbnb Press Release - 10/3/2020

 

More Flexible Reservations In Times Of Uncertainty

 

Today, we are announcing “More Flexible Reservations”, a suite of tools and programs we are developing to help hosts and guests navigate uncertainty and meet their needs to cancel or postpone their hosting and travel plans. Today, Airbnb hosts already offer flexible and moderate cancellation policies on over 60 percent of active listings. And we know millions of travelers are still booking business trips, getaways and other places to stay.

 

https://news.airbnb.com/more-flexible-reservations-in-times-of-uncertainty/

5 Replies 5
Susan17
Level 10
Dublin, Ireland

NY Times 10/3/2020

 

How Your Airbnb Host Is Feeling The Pain Of The Coronavirus

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/10/technology/airbnb-hosts-coronavirus.html

 

The toll that the virus is taking on the $688 billion online travel industry is shared by airlines and big hotel chains. But unlike the Marriotts and Hiltons or carriers like United and Jetblue, many online travel sites are underpinned by listings from individual homeowners and smaller hotel operators, who typically have fewer resources to withstand a prolonged slump.

 

On Tuesday, Airbnb announced a program called More Flexible Reservations that will allow hosts to more easily offer refunds to guests. Service fees on trips booked now through June 1 that do not fall under the company’s extenuating-circumstances policy will also be refundable with travel coupons for a future journey.

 

If Airbnb's are refunding their service fees in the form of travel coupons for a future journey (to be taken within a limited time), the same option should also be available to host, rather than being forced to provide up to 100% cash refunds on every cancelled booking. 

 

 

Susan17
Level 10
Dublin, Ireland

From "More Flexible Reservations Policy":

 

Rewards for Flexible Hosts


We appreciate and are committed to supporting hosts who are willing and able to offer refunds on cancellations that would have otherwise been subject to charges. Hosts will have new tools to directly authorize extra refunds through our platform. We will also provide promotions that increase visibility for these listings to drive new bookings.

 

Translation:

"Airbnb will actively promote, give priority placement in searches, and drive any and all available new bookings to those fortunate hosts who have the privilege of being able to afford to grant full refunds to their cancelling guests, even where none are due.

 

In doing so, we're greatly rewarding the lucky minority who host for personal enjoyment, social interaction or "just for fun" - ie, those who don't really need the money anyway and typically use their Airbnb income for "life's little luxuries" - and we'll deeply penalise the peasants who do actually depend on the income to feed their families and keep the roof over their heads, by making sure they're so far down the searches that they won't even be seen by the few intrepid travellers who are still booking trips.

 

Stay tuned for more exciting and innovative ways we're dreaming up to bleed you all dry and/or put you out of business, in our valiant efforts to keep our precious guests satisfied and placated! 

 

#AirbnbHostsRefundOrDie!

Michelle53
Level 10
Chicago, IL

@Susan17  I was just reading this, trying to absorb what it means. If I read it correctly, it's basically saying that if one doesn't have a "Flexible" policy - what guest is ever going to search for any other option ? - one basically won't get any bookings. 

 

My policy is "Moderate".   Who doesn't know 5 days beforehand that they aren't going to travel ?   Even in that case, I'm unlikely to fill the space if I get a cancellation under my "Moderate" policy. 

 

"Flexible" policy basically just says that the guest can wake up in the morning, the day before, and drop me, after I've done all the cleaning and prep for that guest. 

Yep. That's about it in a nutshell @Michelle53. The lower the level of protection the host chooses, and the higher the risks they expose themselves, their homes and their income to, the more Airbnb will love and support them (well.. until an incident occurs when they do actually require support, of course)

Mika8
Level 10
Zürich, Switzerland

 

.. does it really matter what kind of policy we choose (as long as EC exists)?