Worldwide: Airbnb has again updated its extenuated circumstances policy by extending the window for when guests can request refunds for their cancelled stays.
In another company update, CEO Brian Chesky announced that travellers who had booked stays and / or Airbnb Experiences on or before 14 March with a check-in date between then and 15 June would now be eligible to receive a refund, given those will no longer be able to take place due to the lockdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Airbnb’s previous policy only permitted refunds for trips with a check-in date between 14 March and 31 May, meaning the window has now been put back an extra fortnight to compensate more guests.
Travellers who made a booking after 14 March or are planning to book one soon will be subject to the individual host’s cancellation policy, but if a guest or host is confirmed to have Covid-19 as the reason for not allowing the stay, reservations made after 14 March will be covered by the window extension.
Meanwhile, guests who cancel stays within that timeframe that meet the aforementioned requirements will have the choice of receiving either a full cash refund or travel credit. Hosts can also cancel under the latest policy without being charged and it will not affect their Superhost status either if they have earned it.
However, Airbnb stipulates that if the reservation has already begun or the check-in date has passed, the updated refund policy will not apply to those guests.
