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President Joe Biden announced on Thursday that several ticketing and travel companies in the United States are taking steps to eliminate hidden fees for buyers.
This move is part of Biden’s plan to ban additional charges, known as “junk fees,” that are often added to travel, ticket, and banking transactions. Companies like Airbnb, SeatGeek, and Live Nation (the parent company of Ticketmaster) have pledged to provide consumers with the full price of their tickets upfront.
Instead of completely removing the fees, these companies have committed to disclosing them at the beginning of the transaction, rather than surprising customers with them at the final stage of payment. This issue gained national attention last November when Live Nation and Ticketmaster were criticized for their hidden fees and technical glitches during the sale of Taylor Swift’s tour tickets.
President Biden has made reducing these hidden charges a priority, urging Congress to pass a “Junk Fee Prevention Act” and calling for increased oversight by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Transportation Department.
During the White House event, President Biden commended the companies for voluntarily committing to all-in, upfront pricing.
“This deal shows collective bargaining works,” Biden said at the White House. “When employers and workers come together to agree on a deal that works for both of them, it’s good for the economy and keeping our supply chain open.”
“The companies represented here today are voluntarily committed to all-in, upfront pricing,” Biden said. “Some of them have used this process for years, like TickPick, Dice and the Newport Festival Foundation. Tens of millions of fans have already benefited from this decision. Others, like Airbnb, have started giving customers the option of seeing all-in prices since we called for action last year, and other businesses are committing today.”
President Biden continues to urge Congress to take action by passing legislation that mandates upfront pricing for all ticketing companies and eliminates early termination fees charged by cable, internet, and cellphone companies. He also supports the elimination of family seating fees on airlines and recently commended Alaska Airlines, Frontier Airlines, and American Airlines for committing to fee-free family seating following his State of the Union address.
