President Biden Vows to Ban Fees That Could Affect Your Future Travel Plans
United States President Joe Biden gave his State of the Union address on February 7th, 2023, and his speech addressed issues that could affect your future travel plans.
President Biden Biden stated, “My administration is…taking on junk fees, those hidden surcharges too many companies use to make you pay more.” These “junk fees” often affect the entertainment and travel industries and there could be big changes that affect the bottom line of your budget, so let’s get into it.
Hotel Resort Fees
You may already be familiar with something known as a hotel “resort fee,” which can tack on significant added costs per night that are not always clear when booking.
Many hotels around Disney World charge such resort fees, often in addition to several other fees as well, and you may have experienced the surprise of these unexpected charges on your final bill.
During the State of the Union, Biden shared that the Junk Fee Prevention Act has been created to combat such charges. He said, “We’re going to ban surprise resort fees that hotels charge on your bill. Those fees can cost you up to $90 a night at hotels that aren’t even resorts.”
Not long ago, Disney World actually eliminated extra fees such as overnight self-parking, but you can still find resort fees at other Orlando-area hotels, such as the Marriott-owned Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels.
If the proposed Junk Free Prevention Act is passed, it will be interesting to see what extra fees may be removed from your final hotel bill.
Airline Fees
Another area the Junk Fee Prevention Act could affect would be the airline industry, where you can often find extra fees charged for your reservation, seat, baggage, and more. Biden explained, “For example, we’re making airlines show you the full ticket price upfront. Refund your money if your flight is canceled or delayed.”
Biden continued, adding, “We’ll prohibit airlines from charging $50 round trip for a family just to be able to sit together. Baggage fees are bad enough. Airlines can’t treat your child like a piece of garbage.”
Other Service Fees
Other industries could be changed by the Junk Fee Prevention Act as well, such as concert and sporting event tickets, cable and internet providers, bank overdrafts, and more.
Biden stated, “We can stop service fees on tickets to concerts and sporting events and make companies disclose all the fees upfront.”
The White House announced the beginning of plans to reduce “junk fees” back in October, stating, “These fees can also create an uneven playing field for businesses, making firms that price in a fair and transparent manner seem more expensive than their rivals.”
We’ll be watching this developing situation closely, and if the legislation passes, we’ll let you know exactly how it could affect your travel plans.