Airbnb is set to introduce a new cancellation policy on June 6 that will cover weather-related events and government travel restrictions. The Major Disruptive Events Policy will allow guests to cancel reservations and receive refunds in the event that a hurricane or natural disaster triggers government travel restrictions or leads to mass outages of utilities. Even if the hosts’ cancellation policies state otherwise, these cancellations will be considered valid. This update to Airbnb’s Extenuating Circumstances Policy aims to make the policy consistent with industry standards and provide clarity for guests and hosts.
The updated policy will also apply to declared public health emergencies and epidemics, government-imposed travel restrictions, military actions, large-scale loss of utilities, and natural disasters. When a large-scale event occurs, Airbnb will assess the situation to determine if the Major Disruptive Events Policy applies and activate it for the impacted area and timeframe. Guests will also be able to cancel reservations mid-trip during a covered event and receive refunds for the nights they did not stay at the property. However, the policy will not cover situations like an airline going bankrupt, a guest falling ill or getting injured, weather events that do not impact the property location, government travel advisories, or guests being called for jury duty.
The new policy explicitly excludes coverage for Covid-19. This decision comes after Airbnb faced backlash from hosts during the early days of the pandemic when it provided refunds or credits to guests, leaving hosts struggling to pay mortgages and keep their businesses running. Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky apologized to hosts for the initial response to Covid-19 and later reversed the policy. Moving forward, for reservations made after May 31, 2022, a host’s cancellation policy will determine whether a refund is provided if Covid-19 impacts the guest’s travel plans. This distinction indicates that Covid-19 will not be covered under the new Major Disruptive Events Policy.
In addition to hurricanes triggering government travel bans, the policy will cover other foreseeable weather events during hurricane season that result in covered events. This includes a large-scale outage of essential utilities. The goal of the policy is to offer fair and consistent outcomes for guests and hosts while meeting the diverse needs of Airbnb’s global community. The policy does not come into force for situations like the flu in the U.S. or malaria in Thailand, where the diseases are endemic but are not considered public health emergencies. It is designed to provide clarity to users about when the policy applies to their reservations and ensure that both guests and hosts are treated fairly.
Overall, the new Major Disruptive Events Policy by Airbnb is set to provide guests with added protection and flexibility in the event of weather-related events and government travel restrictions. By expanding the coverage to account for various disruptions, Airbnb aims to create a more consistent and fair policy that aligns with industry standards. While the policy does not cover Covid-19, it will address situations like hurricanes, natural disasters, public health emergencies, and other major disruptive events that may impact reservations. This update will offer peace of mind to guests and hosts alike while navigating unforeseen circumstances that may affect travel plans.
