Venkat introduces bill to prohibit price spikes on travel service websites

Rep. Arvind Venkat    May 23, 2024 | 11:56 AM

HARRISBURG, May 23 – State Rep. Arvind Venkat, D-Allegheny, has introduced legislation that would prohibit travel service websites from hiking prices at the last minute and moments before customers in Pennsylvania make their payment.

The bill (H.B. 2321) would forbid travel services, defined as any form of transportation that is available to the public for purchase through an Internet website or application, from changing service prices for at least 30 minutes from when the consumer first visits the Internet website. If a price change must be instituted, however, the travel service would be required to inform customers five minutes prior to the 30-minute window expiring.

“Travel companies playing a game of bait-and-switch with prospective consumers is not only deceptive at face value, but they also risk losing considerable revenue due to such tactics,” Venkat said. “The bottom line is that people want to pay the price advertised on a given website, and my bill would benefit both the individuals looking to travel and the companies who market those opportunities.”

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