Airbnb limitations to cancel appropriately for the hurricane

[Patricia Andriolo-Bull]

Not sure if others are experiencing the same issue or if I should have cancelled these reservations differently (would love guidance from others), but I am annoyed with Airbnb right now.  I had two different guests checked in prior to the hurricane Milton mandatory evacuation.  Whether or not it was required, I did tell both guests I would refund them for nights they didn't stay.  They both left on the 7th.  I was a little busy dealing with the hurricane (buttoning up both rental properties as well as my primary home) and evacuated myself on the 8th.  I called AirBNB on the 8th to cancel their reservations due to the hurricane.  The ambassador was clueless but assured me all would be fine.  I told him to cancel as of the 7th but apparently they can't cancel back only day of or future.  Fine, he said he would refund them the extra day separately.

Fast forward, he never did anything.  One of my guests called AirBNB today.  They cancelled the reservation for the 9th (because they can't cancel back).  I look like an A?S?S that didn't want to refund them.  I spoke with AirBNB again to refund him back to the 7th and to also refund the other guest.  Well, they did but they did not reduce my commission to AirBNB.  It's nominal but I'm already taking a bath with the storm and don't know what will come of my two reservations for this weekend or next.  Was there a way to do this myself online which would have worked better?  I wasn't sure if I would get penalized for cancelling online.  It's also disingenuous that they have all these claims of refunds etc. but they keep their fee off an amount that was never paid.