UPDATE and Background. @Mike-And-Jane0 @Flavia202
Recap... i booked and paid in total ($5700) for a 7 night stay in Paris in June 2020. Covid came... host asked me not to cancel... i said "sure, lets move the reservation to 2021".. Host: "no problem". 2021 rolls around... France is still locked down. Talk to host again and Host says: 'No problem, June 2022 is good.' AND, I talk to Airbnb just to confirm and get some assurances, because i was worried about the "completed" stay on my account.
Airbnb Support on a message dated June 5, 2021 says: "Hi John, this is Jaydee again from Airbnb. I am following up to make sure that you received the message and email that I sent you.
I was able to confirm that you are planning to move your trip next year (June 2022), and the host responded that he is okay with it. I know that your reservation is already marked as done but in this case, you can use the statement from the host that he is okay if you reschedule your trip next year as a confirmation that he will still accommodate you because there is nothing we can do to change the status of your reservation but of course, it is still considered as paid and you will still be accommodated by the host.
You may also take note of this reference number ###############, so that in case you encounter an issue with the host about your agreement with him, you may contact us and provide the reference number, so that we can help you."
This message gave me confidence that the Host wasn't going to try and take my money and all would be good. I had Airbnb on my side and they confirmed that i was going to have my reservation in Paris for June 2022. Nothing to worry about.... not so fast.
September 2021 after i get my flights to Paris, i reach out to host to confirm dates. He says: "A bit early, but you'll have a place in June". In February 2022 after multiple months trying to reach the host to confirm/verify dates, i finally get back with Airbnb "Support". They give me the run around for a few months.
Finally, Airbnb told me on May 10, 2022 that: "We’ve given your case and its details careful consideration and we determined that no further actions should be taken. We understand that this might not be what you’d hoped for, but we came to this outcome because the reservation in question had passed and been inactive for years now, we can no longer alter or cancel on our end. Our review is complete now, and we won’t be able to offer additional support on this case at this time."
After this 'go away and dont bother us anymore' message from Airbnb "support", I reached out to someone I know in at Airbnb and a "Friends/Family/Airbnb Contact" support ticket was created. (Basically, i pulled a string through a personal contact and got this kicked up to a different level.) Within a day, my issue is magically solved. The host contacted me and apologized for disappearing for a year. His "team" simply didn't let him know i had an issue. After a bit more back and forth and effort... i was able to get the Host to initiate a full refund. Thank goodness.
Airbnb continued to hide behind "protocol" that they could not do anything to help me if the host didn't agree. It was only after the friends / family / contact ticket was created, that the host magically shows back up and finally agrees to a refund.
If I hadn't known someone, i'd still be out $5700. What happens to the Airbnb travelers who don't know someone?
I'm still out considerable time and money (rebook at a different place at more of a last minute price), and still contemplating my options to recover that.
Lesson learned.