@Jessica-and-Henry0
Sorry to disappoint you, but this is what Airbnb is now sending out to guests:
"We’ve expanded our cancellation options. You can always change or cancel your existing reservation under the terms of your host’s cancellation policy. As an alternative, we are now also offering guests impacted by COVID-19 the option to cancel and get 100% of the amount they’ve already paid as travel credit to use toward a future trip. To receive this credit, please cancel at least 7 full days before your check-in date to give your host plenty of notice. Know that when you choose this option, Airbnb will also pay your host a portion of the reservation value from a support fund we have established for this purpose. This is our way of helping to ease the financial burden of both our guests and hosts during this crisis."
So, not only is a travel credit the only way for this guest to get a full refund, they have to cancel more than seven days before, meaning the host will be paid less from Airbnb's fund than if the guest cancelled last minute. Very sneakily worded to lead the guest to believe this is a kindness to the host, whilst at the same time a veiled threat to the guest to do as they're told or lose 50% of their money.
So, for others here that think Airbnb is being benevolent in all of this... Really? Yes, I get why they would issue full refunds to guests in the current situation, but don't be fooled, that's about saving their own reputation, nothing else. As for the host fund, it's is a pure PR stunt, plain and simple, as @Jessica-and-Henry0 have said. I know because I worked in PR/Corporate and Governmental Affairs for years and am specifically trained in "Issue and Crisis Management".
When Airbnb pull tactics like the one in the above email, do you really think this is a company trying to do the right thing and "We're all in this together."? Or, is it more likely this is about saving their business and their billions?
One could argue that there is nothing wrong with them trying to save their business. Fair enough. But please, don't give them credit for doing this out of kindness!