Montreal family persuades Cinma Guzzo to change admission policy for babies

Montreal'sCinmaGuzzoisbacking down somewhat on a policy to charge admission toall children, including infants, after the parents of a 10-week-old baby girlspoke out about having to pay fora movie ticket for the baby.

The parents of baby Harleygot a wicked surprise recently when shewas charged $7for a movie ticket on a family outing to the theatre complex in Montreal's Saint-Laurent borough.

"It's kind of ridiculous. You're going to make me pay for a sleeping or nursing baby?" said Paige Becker, Harley's mother, on Monday.

"Your policy is really ... stupid. For lack of a better word."

CinmaGuzzo'sexecutive vice-president,VincenzoGuzzo, originallysaid other theatres may do things "differently,"but to him, this was the fairest way to deal with complaints about differential ticket pricing.

"It's simple. Everybody pays. That's it," saidGuzzo.

But after speaking to Stuart Becker, Paige's husband,Guzzochanged his mind.

On CBC Montreal's Daybreak, he revealedchildren under 2 will now get infree for10:30 a.m. showings of kid-friendly movies on weekends.

'Everybody pays'

The Dollard-des-Ormeauxresidentstook their two children to the movie complex to see a 10:30 a.m. showing ofFinding Dory.It was meant to be a special occasion: the first time their three-year-old son, Evan, would see a movie on the big screen.

The cashier and manager of Cinma Guzzo Saint Laurent charged the Beckers for four tickets, two for each adult and two for each child.

"We've been to Disney World, and for my three-year-old it was free. Two weeks ago we went to GranbyZoo and for Harley, it was free," said Becker.

Since the newest ticket policy went into effect last May,Cinma Guzzochargesa blanket ratefor all childrenaged13 and under.

At other theatres, such asCinmaCineplex Odeon, movies arefree for kids under three.

Guzzosaidthe reason the movie-theatre operatordecided to charge babies was because of the number of emailsit receives fromcustomers complaining aboutnewbornscrying in the theatre, about the decibel-level of movies being too loud for childrenor about movies that areinappropriate for kids.

Facebook reaction

The news that an infant was charged the same price as a preteen at the movies prompted no shortage of opinions on the CBC Montreal Facebook page.

A compromise

Guzzorecounted one anecdote abouttwo womenwho went to the movies with four children apiece all of whom were under the age of three.

"They take up eightseats in the theatre. It's not fair," Guzzo said.

"We're not a babysitting service.You have to pay."

But on Daybreak,Guzzoconceded that most people attending a 10:30 a.m. showing of a movie will expectkidsto bepresent.

After his conversation with Stuart Becker, Guzzo decided to amend the policy.

Paige Becker said she's satisfied with the change, even though she would have liked it ifyoung kids could be free until 7 p.m.

"I feel we got some resolution," she said.