[jonrcooper]

- when guests book a stay, the cancellation policy is very transparent. If they booked a property with a strict policy, they chose to do so, which influences how listings are priced, etc. - While health organizations made recommendations about travel, the choice to cancel is wholly the guests in most cases (given that a few may have had flights cancelled that couldn't be replaced). - trip insurance is a thing and it exists.

Everyone needs to share some responsibility here, so using the term "theft" and saying hosts are "trying to profit off a pandemic" is absurd.

[odysseus]

I booked a clearly non refundable flight with an airline prior to the pandemic. The airline did the right thing and refunded (to a credit usable until Spring 2021) it a couple days ago.

I would expect Airbnb to do the similar. It might be up to the government to help landlords out, since the government is forcing the stay-in-place orders.

[Hydraulix989]

- Trip insurance doesn't cover pandemics. - Countries have literally closed their borders, making it impossible in many cases to travel to said Airbnb. - Guests should not be charged for Airbnbs that they legally cannot stay in without violating local shelter in place orders.

It's hard for me to side with the carpetbagging rent seekers here who still want to keep their guests money even though they are not able to stay at the units. Either a service is provided and it gets charged for, or it is not.