*Airbnb faces criticism for its handling of the California wildfires, with many accusing the company of an insensitive response after refusing to cancel a woman’s Los Angeles reservation during a wildfire that displaced tens of thousands of residents.
According to The Daily Beast, Ana Mostarac shared on X that she contacted Airbnb to rebook her stay to a location farther away from the danger zone, but the company denied her help.
“As always, their policies failed to account for context,” Mostarac said. “The fires keep getting worse, and unfortunately, many others are probably stuck explaining bushfires to someone in another country right about now.”
The woman explained that an Airbnb representative told her the booking didn’t qualify under the company’s disruptive events policy, which covers cancellations due to rare severe weather events. An Airbnb spokesperson told the Daily Beast that her reservation was made after the wildfires had started, which disqualifies it from cancellation coverage. Despite this, the woman was offered a refund.
Critics argued that Airbnb’s approach lacked empathy, sparking a broader conversation about corporate responsibility during crises.
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Meanwhile, the SoCal wildfires reportedly consumed nearly 3,000 acres in Pacific Palisades and forced 30,000 evacuations. Thousands of firefighters are working to contain at least three major fires, stretching from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena. One of the fires has been described as the most destructive in Los Angeles’ modern history.
READ MORE FROM EURWEB.COM: Oh No. Another One! Sunset Fire Erupts in Hollywood Hills – Prompts Urgent Evacuations | VIDEO
