Wednesday 2 November 2022 09:40 PM CHOICE Shonky Awards: Australia's worst products named and shamed: Qantas, ... trends now

Qantas has been branded one of the worst companies in Australia after months of cancelled flights, poor customer service and endless delays.

Australia's flagship airline, given the humiliating nickname 'The Spirit of Disappointment' is one of five brands given an unwanted Shonky Award by consumer group Choice.

The awards name and shame major brands for poor service, and this year also include a flower delivery service and a loan for pet owners.   

'Whether it's an airline that makes redeeming flight credits a nightmare, a finance product targeting distressed pet owners, cookware that doesn't cook properly, processed food dressing itself up as healthy, or a florist delivering dud bouquets, we'll continue to call out companies that do the wrong thing by Australians,' Choice CEO Alan Kirkland said.

'2022 has been a difficult year, with Australians living through a pandemic, a slew of natural disasters, and a cost of living crisis. 

'The last thing people need is businesses that rip them off but unfortunately that's exactly what we've seen in this year's Shonky Awards.' 

Qantas 

The national carrier has endured a tumultuous 2022 and CHOICE awarded Qantas a Shonky 'for disappointing customers on almost every front'.

'If there was ever a company that appeared to deliberately be going out of its way to win a Shonky Award, it's Qantas,' CHOICE travel expert Jodi Bird said.

'People are still paying premium prices to fly Qantas, but it's clear from the complaints we've heard, they're not getting a premium service.'

'Qantas has made it difficult and confusing for their customers to use flight credits for cancelled travel. This includes forcing many people to spend extra money, putting limits on available flights, being unable to make bookings using credits online – the list goes on.'

A CHOICE mystery shop tested the airline in September, which uncovered staggering wait times for phone enquiries.

'Our research revealed on average, you'll be on the phone for 21 minutes before your call is answered, and up to 50 minutes,' Mr Bird said.

'By comparison, Virgin came in under a quarter of that average time with five minutes wait, and a maximum of 13 minutes.'

VetPay 

VetPay was awarded a Shonky for its extensive fees, charges and high interest rates.

The company offers quick access loan products targeting pet owners who find themselves struggling to pay their vet bill.

In most cases this is in the circumstances of a medical emergency for their furry friend.

The company markets its loans as 'affordable', yet charges interest rates of more than 18 per cent.

On top of that, CHOICE's analysis found just signing up to the service costs $49 a year. 

As well as the annual fee, the service charges $2.50 for every repayment and has an annual interest rate of 18.4 per cent. 

'CHOICE is awarding VetPay a Shonky for profiting from people's concerns when their pet is sick,' CHOICE's Head of Policy Patrick Veyret said.

'A beloved pet's illness can be one of the most stressful times in a person's life. 

'Lenders such as VetPay should not be profiting from people's anxieties about their pets.

'We've heard from financial counsellors who have seen cases where customers have gone into unaffordable debt just from using VetPay.

'Lenders like VetPay have no right to market their loans as 'affordable' when the reality is they have exorbitant interest rates and expensive fees.'

Queensland pet owner Kellie Wood felt burnt by the company after she took out a $2000 VetPay loan when her dog, Bear, broke his

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