LNP MP Bert van Manen scored free flight upgrades on Japan trip for himself and five family members

LNP MP and chief opposition whip Bert van Manen scored free flight upgrades to Japan from Virgin Airlines for himself and five family members, interest registers reveal.

LNP MP and chief opposition whip Bert van Manen.

Liberal National Party MP and chief opposition whip Bert van Manen scored free flight upgrades from Virgin Airlines for himself and five family members on a round trip to Japan in January, interest registers reveal.

The upgrades, from economy to economy X, were “offered by Virgin and not requested”, Mr van Manen’s declaration reads.

It comes months after intense scrutiny last year about free flight upgrades and airline lounge memberships on the part of politicians.

The saga dominated federal politics for weeks in November after it was suggested Anthony Albanese had previously – before he was Prime Minister – personally solicited and received free flight upgrades.

Mr Albanese later denied the allegation.

During the scrutiny, it also emerged that opposition transport spokeswoman Bridget McKenzie had failed to declare 16 free flight upgrades and was forced to correct the record afterwards, admitting she had been “foolish” and “clumsy”.

“In a cost-of-living crisis that’s seeing people struggle to pay for food and rent, MPs on generous salaries don’t need to be getting freebies when they travel,” Greens transport spokeswoman Elizabeth Watson-Brown said at the time.

Mr van Manen’s interest declaration on Wednesday shows that a travelling party of six received upgrades from economy class to economy X on Virgin Airlines to and from Japan.

When contacted for comment, Mr van Manen told The Australian that “not a single taxpayers’ dollar was expended”.

“The trip was personal, not business, taken with my family,” he said. “It was paid for in an entirely private capacity and declared following the proper parliamentary guidelines.”

During the flight upgrades saga in November last year, the Greens demanded a blanket ban on MPs requesting or accepting free flight upgrades for personal or work-related travel, saying this could help potentially prevent airlines from accruing undue influence.

It emerged during the saga that it was standard practice for major airlines to give VIP status to members of parliament and they would often automatically upgrade them if seats were available.