I'm writing this on behalf of my 81 year father who has over $1000 AUD effectively held ransom by Airbnb.
My mum and dad were going to travel to Scotland in 2020 and then Covid lockdowns hit. They couldn't travel and so we're given travel credits. They intended to use them by the due date of 31 December 2022.
Sadly my mum got cancer in June 2021 and they coulnt travel. My dad spent over a year caring for her until she died in October last year. We contacted Airbnb end got an extension until 31 December 2023.
He has struggled to recover from our loss, so knowing he had to use the credit I wanted to take him on a holiday before the 31 December 2023.
I contacted Airbnb support to check if we booked now, could we use the credit for travel in January 2024, about 3 weeks after the due date, as this is the only time we can get away together. After hours on the phone, a specialised team member reassured us that is ok and we booked and paid a deposit ($300), thinking the remainder of $1215 would be paid using his credit in early January 2024.
This turns about to be completely false. After geting an email reminding him to use his credit we went to pay the balance, only he has now been charged the full amount of $1215 because the travel date is after 31 December 2023.
We feel lied to by the Airbnb operator and cannot get access to the credit for the reservation as promised. Airbnb also refuse to refund his $1,110 credit.
I have tried desperately to resolve this with Airbnb support, only to have spent hours onthe phone, repeating the same issue over and over, calls never returned, specialised teams never to respond, conversations stopped abruptly when I ask for a refund and so much misinformation given about their credit policies.
I feel sad for my dad who has had to endure such woeful customer service. No one from this multi billion company cares or considers the impact this has on someone in their 80's. He doesn't understand how he is not able to have refunded whats lawfully his or least have access to use on what will be his first trip since my mum passed.
I'm sure no one from Airbnb will even bother to read this let alone respond but this type of treatment is just wrong. And if they do, any hint of compassion will be crushed by their stonewall policy
