Inaccurate Weather Service Alerts from Airbnb to guests

Ron103
Level 8
Galveston, TX

Inaccurate Weather Service Alerts from Airbnb to guests

I host on the Gulf Coast.
It can rain here when there is no chance forecast, or have none when it is forecast to be a deluge.
It is a touchy issue, If it is actually going to be dangerous to travel, then I can understand someone wanting to cancel and feeling that that is an extinguating circumstance. But if it is just going to rain, sorry, that doesn't cut it as far as I am concerened.
Recently Airbnb sent my guest exteremly vague "Weather Service Alerts" with a link and a suggestion to contact the host about the weather in their area.
I can assure you 100% of my guests that recieved that message DID NOT look at the link, but immediatly contacted me in a panic wanting to cancel their reservation. 
These vague alerts to the guests were NOT helpful, they simply stirred up the guests and put me in the place of having to defend my cancellation policy (moderate) and trying to convince them that while it may rain during their stay, it is not predicted to be more than a shower or two, and I won't cancel for that kind of forecast.
To be honest, I was completely surprised that Airbnb issued these notices, especially when they were as inaccurate as the ones related to my place.
If Airbnb is going to send these kind of messages, they should contain some information and that information should be accurate, AND the host should recieve one too!

5 Replies 5
Linda108
Level 10
La Quinta, CA

I agree with you, Ron.  If you are a traveler, then it is your job to determine what issues are important to your visit, not Air BNB.  I have lived in Texas and the saying, "If you don't like the weather in Texas, then wait a minute." is pretty accurate.

Boy do you have that right. I'm in San Antonio and it's a constant challenge to predict the weather. 

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

Yes, I just got them as well (simply because I was searching in guest mode).

There must be a whole panel of airbnb advisors tasked with coming up each week with new ways to confuse things and cause unnecessary grief for hosts and guests. 

David126
Level 10
Como, CO

I would advise them to contact AirBnB as they were the ones who sent out the alert.

David
Cathie19
Level 10
Darwin, Australia

Hi Ron.

In this modern age of technology, guests and hosts alike, should take ownership of their travel plans, but also take advise on the ground, from the local host if on site.

 

The daily weather has too many variables globally, and Airbnb shouldn’t hand feed information that is really just white noise.... it’s also intrusive.

 

I think a guest has the responsibility to do their own weather checks and make contingency plans  for rain, snow etc. Government sites can be subscribed to for catastrophic events or civil unrest or a heightened terror alert.  

 

We are all smart enough to do some research when travelling locally or internationally. If not, book through a different platform and pay for supervised tours.

 

However, Airbnb guests, who book online, are generally smart enough to bookmark the local weather forecasts as well as to anywhere else they are going. Take the gear they need, or buy it in situ. As a host, I provide large golf umbrellas for guests to use during the Wet Season. But as a guest,  I take my fold up umbrella, poncho and any other gear required when travelling.... just in case! My decision.....

 

There are specialty apps and experts who do weather, and Airbnb is not the expert here. They are a rental platform, not a bureau of meteorology. They shouldn’t cause confusion or fear. 

 

Only when there is a severe weather event such as eg: a cyclone/typhoon/hurricane should they send an alert to both guests and hosts to communicate and check in with one another. That is being responsible. This allows communication and action when needed for safety and well being.

 

Outside such a major weather event, Airbnb should back off and be the rental platform only. Leave the weather to the experts and the locals on the ground.

 

Airbnb is not a weather service provider, so this feature which can be misleading, is not serving  their clients from either side of the service:  host or  guest.

 

Be gone... on the weather feature, and do better with some accommodation filters/features.

 

🙂

Cathie