Feedback from Airbnb re a cancellation

[Janet-and-Mark0]

We have been hosting on Airbnb for more than two years and have achieved Superhost status. We keep ouir calendar routinely updated. This week I received a booking with two days notice. For the first time ever I had to cancel the booking because the son of a close friend had died earlier in the week and we had a funeral we wanted to go to. 

Today I have received what I consider to be a threatening and insulting notice from Airbnb - Your listing could be suspended if you cancel a reservation again.

I very much resent this. While I know this will be an automated response I would have thought this automation would also have taken account of our prior history and moderated the tone of the message.

[Jeff158]

@Janet-and-Mark0 

The automated message isn't half as bad as a cancellation notice on your listing, especially one that says you cancelled 2 days before arrival.

Talk to customer service, explain what's happened, grovel a bit and keep your fingers crossed you get a nice cs rep that will remove it and then you won't lose superhost status.

[Lawrene0]

Don't take it to heart, @Janet-and-Mark0 . As you say, it is an automated response, and host cancellations are serious business. The system cannot tell if you did it to go on holiday or to go to a funeral.

I know if it was anything else, you would have jumped on that calendar and blocked the days you needed. But when a good friend's child dies, the last thing on your mind is hosting. 

You can reply to that automated review if you like with something that will reassure future guests. Something like, "We cancelled to attend a funeral, and we are grateful that Joy was so understanding." 

Very sorry for your loss.