Good news for Airbnb!
An InstantBook for you! Look to be raked over the coals if you decline inquiries.
Maybe they should hire someone to fix their buggy website! My response rate shows zero when just this am it was and is 100%. My last guest also had issues trying to book. Ugh!
I had a strange experience on Airbnb yesterday that was related to this issue. It was such an odd coincidence and even odder that it happened just a short time after the ex attorney general was appointed.
Iâm not going to describe the situation here on a public forum but it was so weird that it made me wonder if it was some setup by Airbnb. Then that seemed so unlikely that I then wondered if it was a journalist who set it up - someone who wanted to write about discrimination on Airbnb. (Writing about this subject almost guarantees plenty of website hits.)
P.S. If any established hosts here want to know the story, please PM me for details - Iâd love a second opinion!
I believe there are activists out there testing the system and then going to social media and conventional media with the story. Doubt itâs AIRBNB behind it.
Thinking about it more, I suspect that youâre right. Hosts beware.
If hosts arenât discriminating against protected groups they donât have anything to be ware of.
Very true. However what happened to me yesterday seemed almost as though I was being manipulated into a discriminatory situation. I donât discriminate in any way. Indeed, I couldnât if I wanted to because I use Instant Book. But I could have done so with yesterdayâs situation without realising it.
I know that sounds confusing but I still think hosts should be careful.
Iâm glad that you donât discriminate and again you donât need to worry about being tested if you donât. However, if this board is a sampling of hosts discrimination and profiling are rampant. It is understandable that Airbnb has hired Eric Holder to create an anti discrimination policy. I applaud this move on Airbnbâs part.
Me too, absolutely. Youâll remember the story of the host who declined a trans-gender woman by saying that she had a teenage son and didnât want him to be âexposedâ to such things? I would have thought that it would be a great opportunity to discuss such issues with the son - an educational opportunity.
When I read about that woman I tweeted her to say that the host was disgusting and that she is welcome in my house. She tweeted back that Iâm âsuper sweetâ, but that she lives in Los Angeles so she doesnât need an Airbnb here. It is horrible what the host said and even worse that Airbnb didnât terminate her listing until the guest tweeted about it. The guest did report the discrimination to Airbnb. Yes, it would be a good opportunity to talk with the son if the guest doesnât mind. This woman is an activist so I think she wouldnât mind. However, unless the son follows guests in to the bathroom I donât know how heâd even know.
Yes, true! I meant that it would be an opportunity for the mother to talk to the son about it. Mind you, Iâm a firm believer in kids knowing about the realities of life. My granddaughters are growing up thinking that thereâs nothing strange, for example, that their auntâs partner is another woman.
No Ellen you could be accidentally trapped you are just toooo nice! Or logical!
Iâve read the blog from Brian Chesky and it seems this is only happening in the USA? He only acknowledges recent events that âhave rippled across the countryâ as if there is only one country that matters. Itâs a global company and if they want to get into the quagmire of discrimination they might want to look very close to home. Such ridiculous exclusive language, in my opinion. My cynicism radar is on high alert.
My radar is always on high alert with Mr. Chesky. I find him unctuous.
All I know is that if any policy change decreased the bottom lineâŚthe company is not going to implement it.
But if it increases their bottom lineâŚall of a sudden they are for fighting discrimination!
Unctuous? Ouch! He is not the most charismatic speaker, itâs true. But itâs the words that count and they are very lacking in substance, Itâs sad that I find myself agreeing with cabinhost that for airbnb this is nothing more than a glorious opportunity to introduce all kinds of mandatory things (like instant book) under the guise of fighting discrimination. If they had been straight up from the beginning, they might have demanded some credence. But they werenât and they donât.