Airbnb Guests Are at the Mercy of Hosts for Hurricane Refunds
Home-rental company’s policies specifically exclude refunds for Florida hurricanes
A flooded house following Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers, Florida
Photographer: Eva Marie Uzcategui/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Airbnb Inc. guests in the path of Hurricane Ian are relying on the generosity of hosts for refunds since the short-term rental company’s cancellation policy specifically excludes Florida’s storm season.
Ian, which struck Florida on Wednesday as a category 4 hurricane, dumped as much as a foot of rain onto some cities in the state, leaving about 2.6 million homes and business without power amid downed trees and inundated roadways. The storm is one of the costliest and most powerful in US history, with estimates of possible damage in the tens of billions of dollars.