Australian politicians are almost always opting to fly with Qantas on taxpayer-funded trips, despite Virgin offering cheaper tickets.
Federal MPs flew with the national carrier for 80 per cent of work trips last year despite it not always being the cheapest route, according to travel data provided to the government.
While politicians and their staffers are required to book the cheapest flight, it also has to be the most efficient, with Qantas offering the most routes between major cities.
MPs are banned from accruing frequent flyer points on taxpayer-funded trips like ordinary Aussies can, but they can can receive lifetime status credits, which allows access to airport lounges and flight upgrades.
‘How else can one explain the extraordinary dominance of Qantas in securing bookings by parliamentarians and their staff?’ Myriam Robin wrote in an opinion piece for the Australian Financial Review.
‘There’s nothing like accruing status credits on someone else’s dime.’
Transport Minister Catherine King has since committed to a review of flight bookings by government officials which will be conducted by the Department of Finance this year, despite there being just two months left of 2024.
Politicians’ preference for Qantas may also be put down to the airline’s exclusive invite-only ‘Chairman’s Lounge’.
Australian politicians are almost always opting to fly with Qantas on taxpayer-funded trips, despite Virgin offering cheaper tickets. (pictured is Anthony Albanese, with former Qantas boss Alan Joyce, and fiancee Jodie Haydon)
Daily Mail Australia in August revealed that nearly every single federal politician in the country has accepted free membership of the club.
Qantas and the Albanese government have both denied the airline enjoys any disproportionate level of influence over the country’s political classes.
A Daily Mail Australia audit of the members’ interest registers – in both the House of Representatives and the Senate – revealed almost 93 per cent of the nation’s leaders have been ‘gifted’ membership to the lavish, all-inclusive lounge.
The high profile ranks of government giftees include Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as well as every member of his 22-person Cabinet, his seven-person Outer Ministry and all 12 assistant ministers.
While most politicians declared their Qantas’ privileges as a ‘gift’, Labor MP Marion Scrymgour listed her membership as her ‘Chairman Lounge entitlement’.
Daily Mail Australia in August revealed that nearly every single federal politician in the country has accepted free membership of Qantas’ exclusive Chairman’s Lounge.
And it’s not just politicians on the take, with more than 60 MPs – including Marles, Chalmers, King, Bill Shorten, Zali Steggall and Tanya Plibersek – disclosing their spouses have also been granted unfettered, independent access to Qantas’ luxurious members only lounge.
Often touted as ‘the most exclusive club in the country’, membership to the Chairman’s Lounge has long been veiled in secrecy.
Even the entrances to each of the country’s six opulent VIP clubs – in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra and Perth airports – are suitably discreet.
Though, once inside, the designer lounges are immediately more ostentatious, with free à la carte fine dining, table service, a decadent selection of wines and Champagne and a discreet army of dedicated lounge attendants.
Membership to the club is ‘priceless’ – it cannot be bought for any amount of money nor obtained via any amount of frequent flyers points.
Instead, each member is hand-picked and approved by the company’s chief executive and chairman.
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk