NCL hails FTC ban on hidden junk fees in ticketing and lodging
December 17, 2024
Media contact: National Consumers League – Lisa McDonald, lisam@nclnet.org, 202-207-2829
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the FTC announced its final rule banning hidden junk fees in live-event ticketing and short-term lodging. NCL has long advocated for such a ban at the federal level and applauds the Commission for enacting this critical consumer protection regulation.
“Sellers in these industries can no longer lie to consumers to make a buck. The FTC’s final rule is a common-sense policy that will make the ticketing and lodging marketplaces fairer for everyone involved,” said NCL Vice President John Breyault. “The price that’s advertised is the price that you should pay.”
This single rule by the FTC will result in billions of dollars in savings for consumers. A non-partisan federal study of the ticketing industry found that primary and secondary ticket sellers charged fees averaging 27% and 31%, respectively, of the ticket’s price. Regarding lodging, the Council of Economic Advisers estimated that consumers lose $3.3 billion annually to hotel junk fees.
Further reading:
2024 public comments of the National Consumers League and 51 other organizations supporting the FTC’s proposed rule to ban junk fees
2024 public comments of the Break Up Ticketmaster Coalition (NCL and 14 other organizations) supporting the FTC’s proposed rule
2023 testimony of NCL’s CEO before the United States Senate on the need to prohibit junk fees
2023 public comments of the National Consumers League and 41 other organizations supporting the FTC’s advanced notice of proposed rulemaking on junk fees
2022 public comments of the National Consumers League supporting a petition for rulemaking to ban drip pricing, which resulted in this final rule
2018 public comments of the National Consumers League and the Sports Fans Coalition urging FTC intervention in the ticketing industry
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About the National Consumers League (NCL)
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.
