Home » News » Virgin Australia knocks Qantas off top spot as most trusted Aussie travel brand: Roy Morgan

26 October, 2023

Virgin Australia knocks Qantas off top spot as most trusted Aussie travel brand: Roy Morgan

Adelaide, Australia - March 21, 2016: Planes from domestic air industry competitors and rivals Qantas and Virgin, coming and going from Adelaide airport.

The post-COVID turbulence at Qantas has caught up with the airline and has now benefited its rival carrier Virgin Australia.

The Roy Morgan Trusted Brand Awards has found for the first time that Virgin is the most trusted travel and tourism brand after last year’s winner, Qantas, became riddled with controversy.

Exorbitant airfares, an ACCC investigation into selling tickets on cancelled flights, the illegal sacking of nearly 1700 ground workers, difficult to use COVID credits and alleged government lobbying have plagued the national carrier’s public image in a PR storm only rivalled by Optus’ data leak scandal.

The Roy Morgan report said that Virgin Australia’s victory this year was underpinned by respondent quotes like, “I have flown Virgin ever since they arrived in Australia, they are always open and honest with me, even with flight delays the line of communications are open.” A clear contrast to the public distrust currently associated with Qantas.

Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine said the 20 winners in the Roy Morgan Trusted Brand Awards have outperformed their competitors by maintaining consistently high levels of trust, and minimal distrust, in a challenging environment of high inflation and rising interest rates.

“The last few years have certainly provided their challenges with a once in a century pandemic transitioning into a period of high inflation and rising interest rates. Inflation has been at its highest for over 30 years and interest rates have increased at their most rapid rate this century,” Levine said.

“Despite the incredible differences these circumstances present, we have found the vast majority of Australia’s most trusted brands have backed up their performance from a year ago and confirmed their market leading positions with consecutive wins in their categories.”

Outside the travel space, Woolworths took out the number one prize as the overall most trusted brand in Australia.

The repeat winners include many of the most trusted brands in the country including Woolworths (Supermarkets – and ‘Best of the Best’), Bunnings (Retail), Kmart (Department & Discount Department Stores), Toyota (Automotive), Apple (Technology) and Australia Post (Services).

Find the full list below:

(Featured Image: Qantas and Virgin Australia planes at Adelaide Airports – iStock/BeyondImages)

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Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

roy morgan Roy Morgan Trusted Brand Awards