Airbnb Plus - Adding Additional Photos

[Koral1]

Hello!

I have frustrating issue that despite numerous customer service calls has not been solved and am hoping fellow hosts might have some suggestions. 

Recently I had a unit converted to an Plus listing.  As has been mentioned numerous times on these boards, the pictures were less than flattering.  After a couple of conversations with customer service I was able to get permission to supplement the Plus photos with ones of my own.  Great!  I loved my original listing's photos and just wanted to use a couple of those to make the Plus listing stand out.  The problem - I have called and emailed Airbnb multiple times asking them to provide high res versions of the original pictures (taken by an Airbnb photographer) and every time I talk to someone they tell me they don't have access to them and they're not sure how to get them.  Frustrated I went to the photographer who said he couldn't supply me with them as Airbnb makes them sign an agreement that they won't provide photos to the host (photos that I paid for - but that's another issue).  I know that Airbnb doesn't want the photos being used on other websites, hence the keeping them from hosts, but in this case all I want to do is use them for my listing.

Has anyone ever had success getting someone at Airbnb to track down old listing photos for them?  I'm pulling my hair out as the latest communication with Airbnb said that I could just pay for new pictures but it doesn't make any sense when I have perfectly good, professional pictures already in the system.  Airbnb customer service is a bureaucratic nightmare that at times makes the DMV look downright efficient.

[Marian165]

Good luck if you get anyone at Airbnb to help with any issues, I was never successful to get any help with a couple of different issues, I gave up. So frustrating I feel your pain. 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Koral1 

Before you ever delete any photos, download the supplied images from your listing, store them then reload them when you need them.

Professional Photographers have a responsibility to keep original client images for 7 years so they should still exist. Getting around the restrictive license is the problem and thats created by Airbnb. (Which as a host you would have agreed to before having your photography done). 😞

[Hilary79]

Congratulations on the Plus listing!  I may be missing something, but I don't understand the need to have the current 'Plus' photos.  If you can suppliment the existing photos with your own, just upload the new photos.  I tend to believe that Airbnb will not release the photos.