The Alex Kaiser circus performed at the Gasometer in Vienna for almost a month. In order to promote the performances, free tickets were distributed to Viennese who lived in the area. Also to Jennifer L.
“We wanted to visit the circus anyway, so we were really happy about the free tickets,” says the 23-year-old. She made her way to the ring with her friend. When they wanted to go into the tent, the two were sent to the cash desk, where they were supposed to exchange the free tickets, which also had the note “Animal Viewing Obligation” printed on them, for real tickets.
The price was only mentioned at the checkout
There was a note at the cash desk that said “Animal viewing obligation: 7 euros per person”. According to Jennifer, the free ticket did not indicate that the animal show would incur additional costs. “So I complained to the cashier.” After a discussion with the employee, the young woman and her companion were finally asked to leave the premises.
“For me it wasn’t so much about the 14 euros, but about the principle,” says Jennifer L. Behind her was a mother with several children for whom the surcharge meant significant costs. “She said to me that she doesn’t think it’s okay either, but she’s staying now because of the children,” says the young woman. At this point the queue in front of the cash register was long and people only found out about the price at the front.
The ticket hotline would have informed about the additional price
When asked, the circus said that so far there had been no complaints about the price of the animal show. The free tickets were an advertising campaign for Vienna that will no longer exist in this form in the future. “We have 40 animals. The entry fee is used to pay for their food, among other things. You can find out about the price on our ticket hotline,” says operator Alex Kaiser. The animal show is an extra in addition to the two-hour show and this has to be paid for separately, says the operator.
It is said that the Vienna Chamber of Labor has now received a few complaints about the alleged free tickets. One must be very careful with the term “misleading”. In principle, however, if the impression is given that something is free, the customer does not automatically have to assume an obligation to pay even if the “animal viewing obligation” is printed on it, according to the Chamber of Labor.
