Airbnb updates policy due to virus

Airbnb has implemented new features to help its community of hosts and guests continue to use the short-term rental service with more flexibility during the coronavirus crisis.

In a statement on its website Airbnb said: ‘‘When a crisis like coronavirus hits, we know both hosts and guests are affected. Hosts lose earnings that they rely on to make ends meet. Guests are losing hard-earned vacation savings. We strive to support both sides and are taking a series of actions.’’

To help alleviate some of the financial problems coronavirus is causing, Airbnb has said that it will fully refund its host’s fee if they offer full or improved refunds on cancellations to guests who ‘‘would have otherwise been subject to charges’’. The platform will also waive its standard 3 per cent host fee on new reservations for these listings.

Airbnb has also been quick to enhance its ‘‘flexible’’ booking feature and won’t charge guests for altering their booking.

Airbnb will reward hosts who make their properties available for ‘‘flexible’’ bookings with increased visibility for the listings (which will drive more bookings). The service will also waive its 3 per cent host fee on such reservations.

Likewise, guests that make a new ‘‘flexible’’ booking will be able to change or cancel their stay and have their 14 per cent guest service fee reimbursed in the form of a travel coupon if they need to change or cancel their booking.

The company has said these changes will stay in place until June 1, 2020.

Airbnb has also confirmed that it has extended the coverage of its extenuating circumstances policy to severely impacted regions and certain situations (like a guest being diagnosed with the coronavirus).

‘‘Airbnb’s extenuating circumstances policy gives guests and hosts the option to cancel without charges if they’re impacted by things like serious injury or illness, natural disasters, travel restrictions, and other unforeseen events. We’ve extended the policy to cover eligible reservations affected by the coronavirus.’’

The company hasn’t commented further on whether it still plans to go public following the coronavirus outbreak. It had previously revealed that it intended to have its IPO sometime in 2020.