<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>332405</docID> <postdate>2024-11-04 10:35:48</postdate> <headline>Albanese denies his office sought flight upgrades</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-332406" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241027150094867627-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>Prime Minister Anthony Albanese continues to face questions about Qantas flight upgrades. (Simon Bullard/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Tess Ikonomou</strong> in Canberra</span></p> <p><strong>Anthony Albanese has denied his staff requested flight upgrades from Qantas on his behalf.</strong></p> <p>The prime minister has been criticised after it emerged he received 22 flight upgrades – some when he was transport minister.</p> <p>Mr Albanese denied allegations he contacted former Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce to make a request, and said any upgrades given were all declared.</p> <p>Asked if anyone in his office had inquired about an upgrade on his behalf, Mr Albanese told the ABC, "not to my knowledge".</p> <p>"Everything has been declared, and I've had no upgrades as prime minister," he said.</p> <p>As the federal election looms in the first half of 2025, the controversy continues to plague the government which has been accused by the opposition of being out of touch.</p> <p>Mr Albanese has also come under fire after it was revealed he bought a clifftop home for $4.3 million.</p> <p>Independent senator Jacqui Lambie said Australians were focused on making ends meet during a cost-of-living crisis, and denied ever asking for a flight upgrade.</p> <p>"It really blows me away, and I think most people have had a gut full of it," she told the ABC.</p> <p>"The reputation of politicians gets worse every year, and we are to blame up here.</p> <p>"Nobody else is to blame but the people here in the higher office."</p> <p>https://citynews.com.au/2024/upgrades-missile-turns-into-a-political-cluster-bomb/</p> </body>