Post-Sandy, Airbnb fees waived, Uber demand surges

NEW YORK (AP) — Two tech startups — one that pairs travelers with hosts and another that pairs drivers with people who need rides — have found diverging ways to deal with demand for their services in aftermath of Superstorm Sandy.

Airbnb, the online home rental service, is waiving fees for the more than 20,000 listings it has in areas affected by Superstorm Sandy. The San-Francisco-based startup said late Wednesday that it will forgo fees it charges for both hosts and travelers booking from Oct. 31 to Nov. 7 in New York City, the Hamptons region of Long Island, New York, Providence, R.I., and Atlantic City, N.J. Length of stay must be seven nights or fewer.