My order number is **. Tentative check-in date is 26Apr2020.
I cancelled the booking on 25 Mar2020 as the flights flying from Hong Kong to Phuket had all been cancelled by the airlines in mid Mar until end May2020.
Under the existing Articles 1320 Extenuating Circumstances Policy, it allows customer to cancel booking because of an unexpected circumstance occurs before the official check-in date when the situation is out of their control. In my case, all flights were suspended and the fact was that it is certainly a “NO GO” situation. The articles mentioned that if I confirmed my case met the criteria laid down in the Policy, I could cancel the booking first and then submit the supporting documents to customer support and claim for a free penalty refund at Airbnb sole discretion without obtaining Host’s approval.
Therefore, on 25Mar, I proceed the cancellation as instructed and submitted the supporting documents within 14 days date of cancellation. However, no refund of my deposit of HKD15,597.08 was granted.
Despite 2 weeks communications with your Customer Support team, various Case Managers and supervisors/specialists, they all confirmed that my case met all the criteria stated in article 1320 but then they argued that my case must be reviewed under article 2701 COVID-19 and no refund granted. They claimed that the cancellation was done before articles 2701’s 30Mar update (coverage for check-in date until 31May). If the cancellation was done before 30Mar, it was not eligible for the refund.
However, as a layman, I only followed all the guidelines written on the website and did not know there was some hidden procedures in your support team for not giving out the refund. I told them that all the updates of article 2701 before 07Apr2020 did not mention there was a cancellation date requirement or limitation therein. As long as the cancellation date was done before the check-in date under the Extenuating Circumstances should then be valid.
Your case manager did not help but she stressed that she would remind her superior asking the platform to add back such exclusion clause to the articles, and this was really added on 07Apr updates.
This was insane!!! Your support team took advantage of my complain and made new clause to turn down refund.
I appreciate that your CEO Brian Chesky is so kind and generous, and implemented policies to help the Host and the guest to get along this tough COVID-19 situation. Moreover, your senior vice president for global policy Chris Lehane also mentioned that the recent cancellation policy for COVID-19 aimed genuinely to safeguard the safety and health of both guests and hosts, and helped to stop travel under this extreme situation.
I don’t understand why your customer support team came up with so many insane operational guidelines to stop helping customers who were really run into trouble under the COVID-19. Strictly speaking, Brian’s intention is to help customer and I don’t think he will impose such insane guidelines and dates to make his client more angry and frustrated. As long as the customer is getting into trouble, Brian must be happy to help.
I really did not see there would be a difference to cancel the booking before/after 30Mar will make things change. The fact was that all flights had been cancelled. We cannot visit Phuket is real and unavoidable. The deposit for booking is paying for house rental and services. Right now, we cannot visit the house, why should our money be released to the Host for nothing. What loss will be made to Airbnb for the refund as the money is being kept by Airbnb. Why Airbnb can embezzle our money. Can you tell me why the operational department can override your CEO’s intention.
You may also realize that there were thousands of complaints and feedbacks complaining about your Customer Support Team, Case Managers, Specialists under similar issues/topics at the Airbnb Community forums and China Weibo forums about Airbnb in these few months.
Their way of doing things were totally anti Brian's kind gestures shown to the world. They did not care what the customers are suffering. They just find different excuses doing another way round by not following Brian’s instructions.
What kind of customer service is provided by Airbnb? Horrible!
Please let Brian and your Top Management know about this terrible situation. Otherwise, customers would walk away after this painful experience brought to them by Airbnb.
The last but not the least, please proceed my refund in due course!
Regards
**[Reservation number hidden - Community Center Guidelines]
