Maria Wainer, an American, was scheduled to fly from Israel to Boston on 5/3 to visit relatives. However, due to the Middle East conflict, her travel was disrupted, forcing her to cancel an Airbnb booking worth 800 USD.

Airbnb is an online platform connecting individuals who need to rent rooms with those who have accommodation available worldwide. Wainer attempted to get a refund after canceling her reservation; support staff expressed sympathy but did not approve her request for a full refund.

Booking platforms often include "force majeure" clauses, allowing guests to cancel and receive refunds. *Business Insider*.

Wainer initially contacted her Airbnb host in Boston to cancel the service, then reached out to Airbnb directly, citing their "Major Disruptive Events Policy." This policy covers "military actions and other hostile actions," including bombing and war.

"I know you are experiencing difficulties due to military conflict, which has made travel impossible. However, I regret that I cannot currently assist with your request for a full refund," an Airbnb staff member replied to Wainer's message.

Israeli airspace was closed from 28/2 after the country, along with the US, conducted an attack on Iran, triggering retaliatory strikes across the region. These attacks severely disrupted travel, leaving many tourists stranded and resorting to GoFundMe campaigns to cover extended stays.

"Currently, the only option for this booking is to cancel outside the scope of the policy," the support staff informed Wainer. The company offered her a partial refund. When Wainer inquired why a full refund was not possible, the employee stated that the policy only mentioned "guests can cancel and receive a refund," without specifying "the full amount."

Wainer, a first-time Airbnb booker, expressed her confusion regarding the decision. "It doesn't explicitly state a partial refund either. If it's not clearly specified, people will assume a full refund," she explained. Following her posts on social media and outreach to the press, Airbnb eventually issued a full refund to Wainer.

Several other users also reported difficulties receiving refunds from Airbnb last week. A Reddit user who booked an Airbnb in Abu Dhabi stated they requested a refund under the "Major Disruptive Events" policy but were advised to refer to the host's cancellation policy. Another user on X described a similar situation.

"Be persistent," Wainer advised. "I wrote when I felt I wasn't treated fairly, and I believe this issue isn't unique to me. Many others might give up, but don't; be persistent."

*Tam Anh (according to Business Insider)*