Airbnb is reportedly refusing to refund customers who canceled trips to California due to wildfires in the area.
Airbnb staff have said that cancellation was not covered by the company’s disruption policy, according to viral screenshots of conversations with staff shared by a customer on X, formerly Twitter.
Newsweek contacted Airbnb for clarification on their cancellation policy via email.
Why It Matters
Wildfires in California have severely impacted some of the state’s top travel destinations, with the largest of the blazes destroying over 2,900 acres of land near the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
What To Know
A customer who had planned to visit the Palisades canceled their trip due to the wildfires in the area, only to find out that Airbnb would not give them a refund on the trip.
Ana Mostarac said on X that she was told by Airbnb staff that the cancellation was “not covered under our Major Disruptive Events Policy,” and that she would not receive any compensation for her impacted trip.
The fires in the area have caused over 30,000 residents in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles to be displaced over safety fears. Mostarac’s Airbnb was positioned directly near the area, according to screenshots that she posted to X.
In her post, Mostarac said: “I called Airbnb to request help with rebooking accommodations farther from the danger zone. As always, their policies failed to account for context.
“The fires keep getting worse, and unfortunately, many others are probably stuck explaining bushfires to someone in another country right about now.”
What People Are Saying
In the screenshots posted to social media, an Airbnb support ambassador tells Mostarac: “We’re sorry to hear that you won’t be able to make your upcoming reservation. Unfortunately, this cancellation is not covered under our Major Disruptive Events Policy. This means that your host’s Strict Cancellation Policy will apply.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said on X: “Mutual aid is pouring in from across the state to battle the fires. Hundreds of additional firefighters are headed south to join 1,400+ boots already on the ground. Thank you to our first responders quickly jumping into these firefights.”
What Happens Next
Airbnb has not given any indication they will change their policy approach. The wildfires continue to cause mass evacuations in the area while authorities attempt to bring the blaze under control.
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