An Australian MP has called for an investigation into ticket fees, and argued for ticket-buyers to be provided with a discount for booking online instead of being charged a booking fee.
Australian MP Walt Secord said many customers are angry about the current system of charging an additional cost to tickets, claiming that they are “blatant price-gouging” and a “downright rort.”
According to the Daily Mail Australia, Secord said the practice is an unfair exploitation of customers and should be investigated further.
The MP stated that some cinemas were adding up to Aus$3.25 to the price of a ticket, reportedly generating an extra $40m in revenue per year.
“There is no way that booking online can cost Aus$5. Last week, I bought two tickets for the Sydney Writers Festival’s new Australian voices session for Aus$40 and got slugged an extra Aus$5. This also involved printing out the tickets myself at home,” he said.
“There needs to be a broader investigation into fees.”
In addition to scrapping the fees, Secord believes that the consumers should be receiving a discount for booking online, rather than being charged extra.
“If you book online, it guarantees a revenue stream for the venue and gives them a guarantee sale,” Secord said.
Image: Elaine Smith
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