Airbnb user fumes after company refuses to cancel booking amid Palisades raging wildfires

An enraged traveler claims Airbnb is refusing to refund and rebook her after she attempted to cancel a vacation rental near the danger zone of the Los Angeles wildfires.Ana Mostarac detailed the saga in an X post on Tuesday night as the wildfire ripped through the wealthy West LA area, torching cars, schools and multi-million dollar homes.

Mostarac, who had booked a vacation rental near the Pacific Palisades area, explained on X that she’d called Airbnb to request help “rebooking accommodations farther from the danger zone.”Despite the force majeure, the rental firm rejected the financial executive’s request, saying it wasn’t covered by their disaster policy.“We’re sorry to hear that you won’t be able to make your upcoming reservation,” they declared, per a screenshot of their exchange.

“Unfortunately, this cancellation is not covered under our Major Disruptive Events Policy.This means that your Host’s Strict Cancellation policy will apply.”Mostarac was furious with the response.

“Thank you Airbnb,” she snarked in the post’s caption.“As always, their policies failed to account for context,” she declared in a follow-up post.

“The fires keep getting worse, and unfortunately, many others are probably stuck explaining bushfires to someone in another country right about now.”“They failed in the moment when it matters most,” she further fumed.X viewers sympathized with her plight.

“I hope you are safe Ana! Lord pray the home doesn’t burn down,” said one.“What an inhumane response from @Airbnbhelp.”“So basically you will need to pay them even though they can’t accommodate you?” exclaimed another.Mostarac responded: “That’s my understanding.”According to the Airbnb website, the Major Disruptive Events Policy allows guests to cancel their reservation and receive a full refund and travel credit if it’s impacted by “large-scale events” that prevent or “legally prohibit” completion of a reservation....