Political requests for airline upgrades a daily event, says travel industry insider

Travel executives are the least surprised by claims high-ranking politicians including the Prime Minister sought airline upgrades, saying elected officials are not backward about asking for better seats.

The Brisbane Qantas Chairman’s Lounge where membership is invitation only.

Claims of high-ranking politicians including the Prime Minister seeking Qantas upgrades have been backed up by travel industry executives who say elected officials are not backward about asking for better seats.

Although Chairman’s Lounge and Platinum One status already put those passengers at the head of the queue for upgrades, it doesn’t stop the requests — which according to Qantas insiders come from “all sides of the political fence”.

A travel industry source, who did not want to be named, said he regularly fielded requests for upgrades from politicians — as many as four or five a week.

“The idea Anthony Albanese was calling Alan (Joyce) to say ‘I’m on this flight’ doesn’t surprise me one bit because he would not be alone in that circumstance,” said the source.

He said the requests he received usually went along the lines of “do you know anybody that you can put a word into that can get me an upgrade?”

“I’m just no, sorry I can’t do it. There might be certain people who I might step up and try to help with but usually it means they don’t come back again and that’s what I like,” he said.

“Their position in society means they expect everything for nothing. We call it the white car syndrome. When you’re used to having a chauffeur at your beck and call it eventually becomes normal for them.”

Qantas has refused to comment on the furore surrounding claims made in a new book by journalist Joe Aston, that Mr Albanese, when he was transport minister and even as Prime Minister, sought upgrades directly from his friend Mr Joyce.

Mr Albanese has denied seeking such favours from Mr Joyce, who left Qantas in September last year. Mr Joyce has declined to comment.

However, Qantas has indicated people of Chairman’s Lounge and Platinum One status are given upgrades without asking, if the seats are available.

The Qantas Chairman’s Lounge in Sydney.

A Platinum One member confirmed he used to be given unsolicited upgrades “every eight or nine flights” before the pandemic but since then it was a lot more infrequent due to high demand for premium seats.

The travel industry source said even within the Chairman’s Lounge there was a “hierarchy”, with people of “greater transactional value” first in line for perks.

He said in that sense the Chairman’s Lounge had changed from what it was under previous Qantas CEOs Geoff Dixon and James Strong where it was more about “soft diplomacy”.

“There were people who had firm commitments from James Strong and Geoff Dixon, who were absolutely guaranteed lifetime Chairman’s Lounge membership — only to have that taken off them by Mr Joyce,” said the source.

“The reasoning was ‘there’s no longer a value’ in having this person as a member. I’ve also known former ministers, the day they were no longer a minister, their status was changed from Chairman’s to Platinum. It’s that brutal.”

In contrast, Virgin Australia’s Beyond lounge membership was much more “forgiving” because “they had to be”, said the source.

“These sorts of lounges are only exclusive if the members are seen as powerful, important people,” he said.

Although both Virgin Australia and Qantas make it clear corporate customers who spend up big with the airline are entitled to membership of their most exclusive lounges, the criteria for other members is less clear.

The travel industry source said it was about the transactional value that person brought to the airline — and whether they would be of any use to them.