The scandal surrounding Qantas upgrades by politicians has deepened with claims that taxpayers are being scammed out of tens of millions of dollars a year by repeatedly flouting rules that prevent them from taking the cheapest flights. available.
Qantas’ biggest rival Virgin Australia claimed in a bombshell submission to the government’s Aviation White Paper that it gets just 23 per cent of the $250 million the government spends annually on flights, despite up to 30 per cent. cent cheaper.
The furore began just over a week ago when claims emerged that Anthony Albanese obtained 22 economy class upgrades on Qantas flights by personally requesting them from the airline’s then chief executive, Mr Joyce, which the Prime Minister has categorically denied.
The claim was made in Joe Aston’s book The Chairman’s Lounge – The Inside Story of How Qantas Sold Us Out, and has led to Albanese being called “updated Albo”.
In its submission to the White Paper, which charts the course for the aviation industry over the next quarter of a century, Virgin also said that work flights carried out by politicians, their staff and public servants should not be eligible for ‘work credits’. status’ of Qantas.
Status credits allow frequent flyers to access benefits such as upgrades and are another potential reason to fly with Qantas rather than cheaper rivals such as Virgin.
Although the Coalition did nothing to change the system from favoring Qantas while it was in power between 2013 and 2022, it is now demanding that the cheapest fare rule be followed.
Politicians from all sides regularly get free updates from Qantas and many are members of the exclusive Chairman’s Lounge, but Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said the difference was that Albanese personally contacted Joyce to request updates.
Anthony Albanese (right) is pictured with his partner Jodie Haydon (left) and then Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce (centre).
Coalition transport spokeswoman Bridget McKenzie said: “The Prime Minister just wants to protect his dominant and favorite airline.”
“The Labor Party has allowed the government’s contracted travel provider to consistently favor Qantas,” he told the Herald of the Sun.
But McKenzie herself became caught up in the public fury over the Qantas upgrades by first denying that she had benefited from one and then admitting that she had.
The senator said a review of travel rules by the Department of Finance was not necessary.
“They just need to act to ensure the government travel provider offers public officials the lowest-cost practical fare the first time, rather than offering Qantas as a default option,” he said.
Mrs. McKenzie told the alphabet on Friday that “it was wrong of me to be so emphatic” in his initial statement that he had never received an update from Qantas.
“I probably don’t think I should hold other people to standards that I’m not willing to hold myself to.”
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms McKenzie for further comment.
In Virgin’s presentation to the White Paper, presented last In January, he said the government was overspending tens of millions of dollars on flights by not booking the cheapest flight available.
“These spending patterns serve to entrench Qantas’ dominance and deny Virgin Australia a real opportunity to attract government and corporate passengers,” its submission said.
“The pervasiveness of Qantas Chairman’s Lounge membership among influential Australians, including politicians, also sheds light on these decisions.”
Although his book has sparked anger at the Prime Minister for his apparently cozy relationship with Qantas, and in particular its former chief executive Mr Joyce, Aston told Daily Mail Australia it is “not a successful piece of work with Anthony Albanese”.
Aston insisted he is “not trying to get a scalp” but reiterated that Albanese “had a direct line to Alan Joyce”.
But the blows to the federal government continued on Sunday when Education Minister Jason Clare admitted requesting a free flight upgrade from Qantas during a personal trip to Singapore in 2019.
Qantas’ biggest rival (pictured on plane), Virgin Australia, said it receives just 23 per cent of the $250 million the government spends annually on flights, despite being up to 30 per cent cheaper.
Education Minister Jason Clare admitted on Sunday to requesting a free Qantas flight upgrade during a personal trip to Singapore in 2019.
He said he asked for it after having melanoma removed from his leg.
“That was a personal journey and it was a situation where I had just left hospital,” he told Sky News.
“I had surgery on my leg and, yes, I asked for an upgrade and Qantas helped me.”
When asked who she contacted, Clare said she remembered “picking up the phone and asking for a little help” but “doesn’t remember all the details.”
He said he was “probably” a Qantas government relations employee.
“I don’t want to mislead you, but I definitely asked for it just to help me after the surgery,” Mr. Clare said.
He was on his way to join his family, who at that time was already abroad.
