I am writing to share an extremely distressing experience with Airbnb's booking system. I am currently in Atlanta to be near my fiancé, who is in critical condition at Piedmont Hospital with a traumatic brain injury following a severe car accident. After purchasing a $500 Airbnb gift card from Walmart to secure accommodation near the hospital for myself, my son, and my sister, I encountered significant issues.
Upon attempting to book a property, Airbnb's AI system incorrectly flagged my reservation, citing concerns about "unauthorized parties" and potential vandalism. These accusations are completely unfounded - I am a 55-year-old individual trying to stay close to my critically ill fiancé. When I attempted to book a different property, I received the same automated rejection.
Airbnb then informed me that this decision could not be overturned and suggested I book a hotel or private room instead. This defeats the purpose of purchasing an Airbnb gift card, which I specifically bought to secure appropriate accommodation for my family during this medical crisis.
My attempts to resolve this issue have been met with promises of return calls that never materialize. I now have $500 trapped in an Airbnb account that I cannot use, and more importantly, no suitable place to stay while supporting my fiancé during this critical time. This system failure has created unnecessary stress during an already challenging personal crisis.
I request immediate attention to this matter and a full refund of my gift card balance. Airbnb's automated systems should not prevent legitimate guests from securing necessary accommodation, especially in emergency situations like mine.
