As security concerns over the impending presidential inauguration on January 20 continue, Airbnb is doing its part to limit the potential for unrest. The platform has announced that it will be blocking and canceling all reservations in the DC area during inauguration week. The decision is a response to a request by several officials that people not travel to Washington, DC, for the inauguration.
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Airbnb Cancels All Reservations in Washington, DC, Ahead of Inauguration
Guests whose reservations were canceled will be fully refunded, and hosts will be reimbursed for the cost of the canceled stays. Reservations made through HotelTonight, a service owned by Airbnb, will also be canceled.
In a statement, Airbnb said, “In response to various local, state and federal officials asking people not to travel to Washington, D.C., we are announcing that Airbnb will cancel reservations in the Washington, D.C. metro area during the Inauguration week. Additionally, we will prevent any new reservations in the Washington, D.C. area from being booked during that time by blocking such reservations.”
Airbnb also learned through law enforcement sources the names of individuals involved in last week’s Capitol riot, or associated with known hate groups, and has since banned those individuals from the platform. 