Ticketmaster isn't the only entertainment giant that stands accused of misleading consumers with hidden fees: Cineplex, the largest cinema chain in Canada, is also under fire for using deceptive marketing with its online ticket sales.
As CBC reports, the company has officially filed to appeal the record-breaking $38.9 million fine imposed against it by the Competition Tribunal, with Cineplex saying it has been granted an interim stay until the motion is heard by the Federal Court of Appeal.
The decision to penalize Cineplex was decided upon by the tribunal last month after the Competition Bureau accused the movie theatre chain of deceiving customers by not presenting the full price of a movie ticket upfront when purchasing seats online.
Since June 2022, Cineplex has been charging a $1.50 booking fee for online ticket purchases, which gets dropped down to $1 or waived entirely for members of its Scene Plus loyalty programs or CineClub subscribers, respectively, in a practice known as drip pricing.
The company has denied the accusations, claiming consumers are told immediately about the fees that may be imposed — and that they can be altogether avoided by buying tickets at the theatre in person.