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Are bookings made under non refundable policies subject the Force Majeure notice
Looking for advice if bookings made under a "non refundable" policy are subject to the BC force majeure notice or are the officially excluded because they are what they say on the tin "non refundable"
They are indeed subject to the exact terms of the FM notice.
If the guest's circumstances do not match the published criteria then you are not obliged to refund, although there are very few of those remaining with borders closing all over the world.
These are not normal circumstances, that is why the FM clause has been put into place. If you are financially concerned, contact your appropriate government department to see if any fiscal relief or monetary assistance is available.
It is awful that at a time of financial meltdown in the hospitality trade, Booking.com unilaterally refund (and charge us) for cancelled non refundable bookings. If a guest chooses a non refundable rate, then it is their choice. The money would have gone to staff, but Booking.com have taken it upon themselves too refund rather than offer a free transfer (which is what we are doing despite the bookings being non refundable and non transferrable). And they have the cheek to call themselves our partners. We should all remember this, and treat them accordingly. The scourge of the hospitality industry.