How to unlock an Airbnb account locked because of COVID-19
Q: I had a reservation through Airbnb for a threeday stay at a property in Washington, D.C., this past June. Before the stay, I contracted the COVID-19 virus and was unable to travel. In addition, two of my travel companions were in their early 80s and also unable to travel because they were in a high-risk group.
I contacted Airbnb and explained the circumstances. Fortunately, this fell
FORT WORTH, TEXAS
Despite the fact that Fort Worth is in line to jump two spots as the 11th-largest city in the country, it still struggles to separate itself from nearby Dallas. (It sees about one-third of the number of tourists as Dallas.) However, with a style and scene of its own, Fort Worth is well worth exploring. In addition to its twice-daily cattle runs, the city has a growing music scene. Local museums have hosted exhibits from Monet, Renoir, and Taunder their extenuating circumstances policy. Airbnb allowed me to cancel the reservation and issued a $1,687 credit to be used during a future stay. It also told me that they would be temporarily locking my account reservation ability due to my positive COVID test.
In early August, I decided I wanted to go visit my sons in Arizona and tried to book a stay using my travel credit. I discovered my account was still locked, and I’m unable to make any reservations.
I tried calling Airbnb, but you can’t get through unless you have a current reservation. The automated system directs you to its online chat customer service agents for assistance.
It’s been three weeks
HOUSTON
Houston holds up its end of the everything-is-biggerin-Texas bargain by ranking as the United States’ fourth-largest city. It also goes big when it comes to science, culture, and diversity, which can only be expected for a place with two massive space centers, numerous museums (second only to NYC), and one of the nation’s highest immigrant and refugee populations (one of every four residents comes from another country). Check out Lyric Market, which offers tasty eats and a 4,000-square-foot rooftop deck with skyline views. since I contacted Airbnb. I have six open case requests with the online customer service department and one open case with their Twitter help support. All of the customer service reps tell me the same thing: “Please be patient, your call has been escalated for special handling.” My case has apparently been escalated to the “Trust and Safety” department.
The issue, however, is no one ever gets back to me. I’ve made zero progress. I just want Airbnb to open my account up so I can use my credit. The company is effectively holding my money hostage. Please help
Also be sure to hit up Asiatown for its temples and Viet-Cajun fare, Freedmen’s Town Historic District for soul food and African-American history, and the National Museum of Funeral History for a trip to the afterlife. Want an outof-this-world experience? Visit the Space Center Houston and NASA’s Johnson Space Center to touch an actual piece of Mars, walk through life-sized mock-ups of the International Space Station (ISS), learn how astronaut food has evolved, and see the meticulously restored Mission Control room, set up exactly as it was the day we landed on the moon.
TAMPA
Tampa has been undergoing a snazzy transformation, giving the city the hip and contemporary edge it had otherwise been lacking. Two of 2019’s biggest game changers were Armature Works, a 1910 warehouse space that was repurposed into a one-stop spot with co-working
if you can.
A: It’s understandable that Airbnb would lock your account after you told it you had COVID-19. But the company should have helped you unlock your account instead of making you open seven new customer support cases.
Airbnb says it will “restrict” your account if you have COVID-19 “to help reduce the spread of infection.” Again, that makes sense. What makes less sense is how you get off the blacklist. Your Airbnb account stays restricted until Airbnb receives “valid confirmation that you’re spaces, restaurants, bars, a neighborhood market, and more, and Sparkman Wharf, where you’ll find over 65,000 square feet of re-imagined space sporting a biergarten full of Florida craft brews, shops, waterside views, and eateries from the city’s best chefs. Tampa is also a huge sports town, so soak in the energy at an ice hockey, basketball, or football game during your visit.
BUFFALO, NEW YORK
At the turn of the 20th century, Buffalo was one of the most populated cities in the country and a beacon for all things new, cool, and noteworthy. However, a mid-century collapse in industry and economy created a mass exodus, and the city has struggled to shake its has-been stigma ever since. Well, folks: The new, emerging Buffalo is full of history and hip features. On the history side, Buffalo is practically an open-air museum for architecture fanatics, thanks to able to travel again” — in other words, a clean bill of health.
That doesn’t make sense. Most people recover from COVID-19 in two weeks or less, so locking — I mean, restricting — your account for no more than 14 days seems reasonable. If someone like you calls months after cancellation and tries to book a rental, common sense should prevail. Unfortunately, it did not in your case.
Writing to Airbnb was a good idea. Writing to it repeatedly, maybe not. I’d recommend forwarding your correspondence to an executive at Airbnb. I puits collection of 20th-century buildings, incluing the immaculately restored Frank Lloyd Wright Martin House, the Beaux-Artsstyle Albright-Knox Art Gallery, and the Buffalo Central Terminal train station, an Art Deco stunner. While you’re in town, check out the immigrantowned food and shop startups at the West Side Bazaar, get active with ziplining and wall-climbing at Buffalo RiverWorks, and catch some live music at the historic Colored Musicians Club, where all the jazz greats once played.
CHARLOTTE
Charlotte is a must-visit for craft beer lovers who can drink their way through the city’s 30 craft breweries. If wine is more your thing, check out Rosie’s Wine Garden, which has wine and beer on tap as well as a garden setting. Meanwhile, foodies will want to head straight to the new Optimist Hall, a blish the names, numbers and email addresses of key Airbnb managers on my consumer advocacy site at www.elliott.org/
I contacted Airbnb on your behalf. It unlocked your account. mixed-used space with a lot of great restaurants serving everything from hearty to healthy fare. The city is also brimming with great chef-led eateries, many of which have won or been semifinalists for the prestigious James Beard Award. The museums here, like the Mint Museum Uptown, showcase emerging artists and explore territory not always seen in largerscale institutions. In 2019, the Design District added a 20,000square-foot entertainment venue with fun games like pinball, arcades, bowling, and more. We also love Charlotte for its easy access to outdoor activities, like whitewater rafting, hiking, and rock climbing. Charlotte is a crowd-pleasing destination that’s great for friends, family, and solo trips, though it has remained relatively underthe-radar when it comes to major tourism – at least for now.