Airbnb's sneaky 3% FX fee - deceitful and infuriating, and now unavoidable?
Oct 25, 2017, 11:19 pm
#76
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 742
Hm, often AirBnB is the only way "poor" people can afford traveling and a cheaper accommodation. Who does not say hotels have a secret cartel agreement?
I think AirBnB is a good idea as long as one shares the accommodation with the owner.
Nevertheless, AirBnB in DC was more expensive than a hotel and I did not like my host in DC.
But I will definitely write to AirBnB for the DCC fee in case this will happen.
Thanks for pointing out other options like homeaway.
I think AirBnB is a good idea as long as one shares the accommodation with the owner.
Nevertheless, AirBnB in DC was more expensive than a hotel and I did not like my host in DC.
But I will definitely write to AirBnB for the DCC fee in case this will happen.
Thanks for pointing out other options like homeaway.
DCC is criminal in my mind and it should be, certainly without given the choice. I have had a terminal in central europe ask EUR? yes, EUR? yes, decline USD conversion? yes in the same process (3 times!). Each and every business has the opportunity to reject DCC. They just don't because its free (stolen) money, or they just have no idea what it is. FirstData seems to be the global wrongdoer on this. The best way to pay for airBnb is probably via buying discounted gc which may leave you at 3% surcharge if staying out of country. I have used abnb mostly in europe and never noticed this before, maybe a euro friend took care of payment or I just missed it before. Using amex might solve the issue?
Good tips here on alternates.
Oct 31, 2017, 2:32 am
#77
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 46
As suggested, I tried to complain to the European Commission. I admit, I wrote a simple email (I am not a lawyer) complaining about the airbnb practice of DCC. In return I received this letter.
If you have any suggestions what to write to the EC, I would appreciate this.
I tried also to contact MasterCard via email, but they said I should call them. Not very helpful at all in this matter.
AirBnB escalated the case, but I never heard back from them in this matter. I will try to do a follow up there.
BTW: AirBnBs answer was:
As I said, Sir, that this will be forwarded to the right place on priority but just to acknowledge the fact that Airbnb has received this feedback from many users and we are working to fix this. We have seen our users multiplying only because every decision which is taken by Airbnb is for the betterment of the community. There are certain things which company needs to work out with local regulation of every market of every country. I hope you understand that this huge change and process takes little time. The kind of travel assurance, support, and guarantee provided by Airbnb is not available with the hotels and thus we still stand unique.[...]
If you have any suggestions what to write to the EC, I would appreciate this.
I tried also to contact MasterCard via email, but they said I should call them. Not very helpful at all in this matter.
AirBnB escalated the case, but I never heard back from them in this matter. I will try to do a follow up there.
BTW: AirBnBs answer was:
As I said, Sir, that this will be forwarded to the right place on priority but just to acknowledge the fact that Airbnb has received this feedback from many users and we are working to fix this. We have seen our users multiplying only because every decision which is taken by Airbnb is for the betterment of the community. There are certain things which company needs to work out with local regulation of every market of every country. I hope you understand that this huge change and process takes little time. The kind of travel assurance, support, and guarantee provided by Airbnb is not available with the hotels and thus we still stand unique.[...]
Last edited by bluesaturn; Oct 31, 2017 at 2:40 am
Oct 31, 2017, 11:45 am
#78
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DCC should be illegal - full stop. Any country with a reasonable consumer protection function should ban it outright and hold criminally responsible anyone who does it.
It is a scam. It is never *not* a scam.
No reputable firm should engage in it or allow their franchises or partners operating under their brand to engage in it. Of course, I've never considered Airbnb particularly reputable, so I'm not surprised they're peddling this scam on their users.
It is a scam. It is never *not* a scam.
No reputable firm should engage in it or allow their franchises or partners operating under their brand to engage in it. Of course, I've never considered Airbnb particularly reputable, so I'm not surprised they're peddling this scam on their users.
Oct 31, 2017, 4:01 pm
#79
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 46
I tried to follow up on DCC with Airbnb. Answer see below, please. I told them I don't have a problem with my bank, the problem is with AirBnBs policy.
Does somebody have any advise with respect to the EC, for example, please?
Thank you for your email regarding the currency exchange.
Airbnb's answer:
When the currency in which you’re paying is different from the local currency of the country the listing is located in, we convert your payment using one of our exchange rates.
- We use the adjusted exchange rate if your payment currency is supported by Airbnb, but differs from the local currency of the listing.
- We use the base exchange rate in all other cases when we need to convert your payment to the listing's local currency.
Additionally, if you pay in a currency that’s different from the denominated currency of your payment method, your payment company (for example, your credit or bank card issuer) or third-party payment processor may apply a currency conversion rate or fees to your payment. Please contact your provider for information on what rates and fees may apply as these are not controlled by or known to Airbnb.
I also can suggest you to send us a Feedback regarding your experience with us. You can do it here
Does somebody have any advise with respect to the EC, for example, please?
Thank you for your email regarding the currency exchange.
Airbnb's answer:
When the currency in which you’re paying is different from the local currency of the country the listing is located in, we convert your payment using one of our exchange rates.
- We use the adjusted exchange rate if your payment currency is supported by Airbnb, but differs from the local currency of the listing.
- We use the base exchange rate in all other cases when we need to convert your payment to the listing's local currency.
Additionally, if you pay in a currency that’s different from the denominated currency of your payment method, your payment company (for example, your credit or bank card issuer) or third-party payment processor may apply a currency conversion rate or fees to your payment. Please contact your provider for information on what rates and fees may apply as these are not controlled by or known to Airbnb.
I also can suggest you to send us a Feedback regarding your experience with us. You can do it here
Nov 1, 2017, 7:09 pm
#80
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 742
DCC should be illegal - full stop. Any country with a reasonable consumer protection function should ban it outright and hold criminally responsible anyone who does it.
It is a scam. It is never *not* a scam.
No reputable firm should engage in it or allow their franchises or partners operating under their brand to engage in it. Of course, I've never considered Airbnb particularly reputable, so I'm not surprised they're peddling this scam on their users.
It is a scam. It is never *not* a scam.
No reputable firm should engage in it or allow their franchises or partners operating under their brand to engage in it. Of course, I've never considered Airbnb particularly reputable, so I'm not surprised they're peddling this scam on their users.
For airbnb not to allow you to choose is illegal, otherwise every restaurant would surely never let you choose. Anyone who pulls through with a email template to the European commission, please post it. I don't care if its a $5 nick, i'll still forward it just because its the right thing to do.
Nov 4, 2017, 1:50 am
#81
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 46
I agree. My text was obviously not good enough and the reply by the EC was not in our favor.
Nov 4, 2017, 5:55 pm
#82
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: SFO
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As suggested, I tried to complain to the European Commission. I admit, I wrote a simple email (I am not a lawyer) complaining about the airbnb practice of DCC. In return I received this letter.
If you have any suggestions what to write to the EC, I would appreciate this.
I tried also to contact MasterCard via email, but they said I should call them. Not very helpful at all in this matter.
AirBnB escalated the case, but I never heard back from them in this matter. I will try to do a follow up there.
BTW: AirBnBs answer was:
As I said, Sir, that this will be forwarded to the right place on priority but just to acknowledge the fact that Airbnb has received this feedback from many users and we are working to fix this. We have seen our users multiplying only because every decision which is taken by Airbnb is for the betterment of the community. There are certain things which company needs to work out with local regulation of every market of every country. I hope you understand that this huge change and process takes little time. The kind of travel assurance, support, and guarantee provided by Airbnb is not available with the hotels and thus we still stand unique.[...]
If you have any suggestions what to write to the EC, I would appreciate this.
I tried also to contact MasterCard via email, but they said I should call them. Not very helpful at all in this matter.
AirBnB escalated the case, but I never heard back from them in this matter. I will try to do a follow up there.
BTW: AirBnBs answer was:
As I said, Sir, that this will be forwarded to the right place on priority but just to acknowledge the fact that Airbnb has received this feedback from many users and we are working to fix this. We have seen our users multiplying only because every decision which is taken by Airbnb is for the betterment of the community. There are certain things which company needs to work out with local regulation of every market of every country. I hope you understand that this huge change and process takes little time. The kind of travel assurance, support, and guarantee provided by Airbnb is not available with the hotels and thus we still stand unique.[...]
I don't know exactly what OP said in their complaint to the EC but it seems like the EC evaluated the complaint on the basis that Airbnb is engaging in anti-competitive behavior, which I don't think any of us think is true; Airbnb has lots of competition from other homeshare sites and hotels.
I thought the basis of argument against Airbnb for the EC is unfair treatment of EU citizens from different countries (although this only helps for EU citizens travelling within the EU if Airbnb is actually forced to fix this). For example, if I'm a Swede, then I can only get a Swedish bank account with cards denominated in SEK, and if I want to stay at an Airbnb in France, I'm forced to pay in SEK with 3% markup while a German can pay the normal price in EUR, therefore, they are forcing EU citizens of different countries to pay different prices which isn't fair.
Nov 5, 2017, 2:18 pm
#83
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Unfortunately, Airbnb is way more well known than the other services, so I'm also not sure a negative review is going to do much either. (In fact, I only found out about this because I ran across this thread on FT!) It might need a major travel blogger or other media article/video shedding light on this to trigger real change.
Nov 8, 2017, 1:28 am
#84
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 46
In the meantime AirBnB wrote to me:
I would like to inform you that it is not possible to avoid those 3% of exchange rate when the currencies of the Host and the Guest are different.
It is also not possible to choose manually in which currency you would like to pay. It is chosen by your payment method, and in some cases, by your country. You can find more information about that here: https://www.airbnb.ie/help/article/9...h-any-currency
It is also not possible to choose manually in which currency you would like to pay. It is chosen by your payment method, and in some cases, by your country. You can find more information about that here: https://www.airbnb.ie/help/article/9...h-any-currency
Nov 8, 2017, 1:32 am
#85
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 46
Forgive me if I'm being stupid here as I am not an EU citizen and am not super familiar with the quirks of the EC but here's my take:
I don't know exactly what OP said in their complaint to the EC but it seems like the EC evaluated the complaint on the basis that Airbnb is engaging in anti-competitive behavior, which I don't think any of us think is true; Airbnb has lots of competition from other homeshare sites and hotels.
I thought the basis of argument against Airbnb for the EC is unfair treatment of EU citizens from different countries (although this only helps for EU citizens travelling within the EU if Airbnb is actually forced to fix this). For example, if I'm a Swede, then I can only get a Swedish bank account with cards denominated in SEK, and if I want to stay at an Airbnb in France, I'm forced to pay in SEK with 3% markup while a German can pay the normal price in EUR, therefore, they are forcing EU citizens of different countries to pay different prices which isn't fair.
I don't know exactly what OP said in their complaint to the EC but it seems like the EC evaluated the complaint on the basis that Airbnb is engaging in anti-competitive behavior, which I don't think any of us think is true; Airbnb has lots of competition from other homeshare sites and hotels.
I thought the basis of argument against Airbnb for the EC is unfair treatment of EU citizens from different countries (although this only helps for EU citizens travelling within the EU if Airbnb is actually forced to fix this). For example, if I'm a Swede, then I can only get a Swedish bank account with cards denominated in SEK, and if I want to stay at an Airbnb in France, I'm forced to pay in SEK with 3% markup while a German can pay the normal price in EUR, therefore, they are forcing EU citizens of different countries to pay different prices which isn't fair.
I think I just wrote to the EC asking if this is legal that AirBnB forces me into this DCC and that is basically the response I got. I am pretty sure that I did not mention any anti-competitive behavior.
I just described what happened to me. I tried to pay for an accommodation in Sweden with a French card (in Euro) and was forced into DCC. That was the reply by the EC.
I have no problem sending them again a text, but should I basically write again what you suggested in your last section?
Last edited by bluesaturn; Nov 8, 2017 at 1:38 am
Mar 11, 2018, 10:16 pm
#86
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 32
Looks like we won this in the end.
AirBNB now allows me to choose the currency I pay in; and the price comes out lower if I choose the hosts' native currency.
This is confirmed on their help pages:
https://www.airbnb.com.au/help/artic...h-any-currency
AirBNB now allows me to choose the currency I pay in; and the price comes out lower if I choose the hosts' native currency.
This is confirmed on their help pages:
https://www.airbnb.com.au/help/artic...h-any-currency
Mar 11, 2018, 11:34 pm
#87
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Looks like we won this in the end.
AirBNB now allows me to choose the currency I pay in; and the price comes out lower if I choose the hosts' native currency.
This is confirmed on their help pages:
https://www.airbnb.com.au/help/artic...h-any-currency
AirBNB now allows me to choose the currency I pay in; and the price comes out lower if I choose the hosts' native currency.
This is confirmed on their help pages:
https://www.airbnb.com.au/help/artic...h-any-currency
Jun 15, 2018, 11:07 am
#88
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Yes, is true. I just booked a condo in Bangkok and I was able to display prices in THB by changing currency to THB - and I was charged in THB regardless that I used a non-THB visa card. The savings were not signifcant as the amount paid was low and as a foreign currency conversion fee of 1.75% is applied by my credit card issuer.
Jun 15, 2018, 11:12 am
#89
Join Date: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,746
Yes, is true. I just booked a condo in Bangkok and I was able to display prices in THB by changing currency to THB - and I was charged in THB regardless that I used a non-THB visa card. The savings were not signifcant as the amount paid was low and as a foreign currency conversion fee of 1.75% is applied by my credit card issuer.
Jun 15, 2018, 11:39 am
#90
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