businessLIVE
Our 2026 Shonky Award winners revealed
Choice names Virgin Australia, Ticketmaster and Hisense among winners of its 2026 Shonky awards for poor consumer practices.
Key points
- Choice said Virgin's credit deadlines left $75m of Covid-era flight credits unused and returned to the airline.
- Choice said Ticketek's 'Ultimate' John Farnham tribute concert tickets, not subject to variable pricing, cost $1,650.
- Choice said Hisense's washer/dryer could reach its energy rating only with a 13.5-hour eco dry cycle and 728-minute wash.
Why it matters. Choice says the Albanese government's new unfair trading laws, due in 2027, include no prohibitions on dynamic pricing, which it wants addressed through expanded price-gouging laws.
Consumer advocacy group Choice has named Virgin Australia, Ticketmaster, Ticketek and Hisense among winners of its 21st Shonky awards. Choice said Virgin's strict deadlines on credits issued for cancelled flights between 2020 and 2022 left $75m unused, returned to the airline's bottom line. Virgin Australia said more than 93% of Covid credits were redeemed, while Ticketmaster said event organisers set prices, not surge algorithms.
Latest updates
Our 2026 Shonky Award winners revealed
Concert tickets that surge to $1,650, an airline pocketing $75m of unused flight credits and a washer/dryer cycle that takes 25 hours have all made the dishonour roll in consumer advocacy group Choice’s annual Shonky awards. Now in their 21st year, the Shonkys spotlight Australia’s worst products and services as decided by Choice. Choice awarded Virgin a Shonky gong for imposing strict deadlines on customers to use credits issued for cancelled flights between 2020 and 2022, amid Covid-19 travel restrictions. Customers had to book their trips by 30 June this year, and had to use the credits for flights taking off before 27 May 2027. This resulted in $75m of credits going unused and then being returned to Virgin’s bottom line, according to Choice. A spokesperson for Virgin Australia said: “More than 93% of Covid credits were redeemed by guests, supported by strong bookings over the past four years. “Following a number of extensions between 2023 and 2025, we regularly communicated the expiry date and later extended the fly-by date to 27 May 2027, giving guests almost another year to travel.” Ticketmaster and Ticketek received Shonky awards for using what Choice deemed “sneaky” tactics – dynamic pricing and “in demand” seats – to unfairly inflate prices for live events amid the broader cost-of-living crisis. Dynamic pricing – common in transport and hotel sectors, but a more recent.