Unblocking my calendar after cancelling a reservation

[Anthony-and-Sarah0]

Hi everyone,

I recently had an experience where I had a request to book, so I gave pre-approval but accidentally didn't block those dates. At the exact same time, someone 'instant' booked our place. I immediately contacted that guest to let them know what had happened. They were disappointed but understood, so I cancelled their reservation. However, now Airbnb blocked those dates so nobody can book, which seems a bit unfair. Is there a way to unblock those days?

Thanks in advance.

[David126]

I use IB and occasionally get someone asking to pre approve, why?

I would never block out the dates first come first served.

Rule No 1 as a Host is never cancel, best bet to contact ABB and plead ignorance.

[Miesha2]

How do you contact them? 

[Fred13]

Only by calling Airbnb and explaining what happened. It is an understandable mistake. Btw, best to never cancel a booking, any booking, get Airbnb to do so.

P.S. Wrote this as David was making his post also.

[Anthony-and-Sarah0]

That's great, thanks for that - finding a phone number for Airbnb is not so simple... Any ideas???

[Fred13]

Someone will post where to get their numbers.

Btw Anthony, take the vein with Airbnb you are ~trying~ to book an ~Airbnb customer~, the blocking is preventing it.

[Anthony-and-Sarah0]

It's ok, I found it, thank you!

[Miesha2]

Ho do you call Airbnb?

[Miesha2]

Same thing happend to me I had pre-approved a guest  for 5 days but didn't know I had to block, Airbnb booked another guesstofr 3 of the five days now I had to decline the orginal one and I think they will ding me for that and now I'm stuck with only 3 days guest instead of a 5 day guest.

[David126]

You do no have to block, when somebody else books those dates are no longer available, nothing to do.

[Marzena4]

And just five cents, manual blocking the calendar within the requested period of time is also a good way to escape a booking request you want to avoid but don't want to decline due to the stats/response rate etc.

[Fred13]

Doesn't a request automatically block the days till one Accepts or Declines?

[David126]

@Fred13

I did not think so but thinking about it the answer is I do not know.

[Juliana132]

i am new to air bnb - listed vaguely on tuesday night and woke up to a booking on wed am which doesnt work for me (i stupidle hadnt blocked dates and had instant booking ticked - arrgh). The guest who also booked was new so understood so i cancelled.  Air bnb now blocked out the dates and i want to free upthose dates to start taking bookings but cant - annoyingly it is NYE and i am having lots of enquiries but dates show bloced when actually they are free. i appreciate i made a mistake as within first 24 hours of being registered. how do i talk to air bnb to explain situation to them and get diary unblocked....

at this stage it seems too much hassle and i have spent hours and hours trying to work out how to talk to someone - i may just remove listing  and go to competitor which is a shame...

[David126]

@Juliana132

You cancelled because you forgot to block the dates, so I do not understand why it matters that they are blocked?