MPs accused of freeloading over flight upgrades
Last updated at 11:51 17 April 2007
Dozens of MPs are regularly taking
advantage of free upgrades on flights
worth thousands of pounds a time.
The growing trend for upgrades is
revealed in the latest edition of the
register of members’ interests.
It shows that the leaders of all three
main political parties have benefited
from seeing their airline seats
boosted to business or first-class.
Tony Blair and his wife Cherie were
upgraded by British Airways on a
flight last December to Miami where
he had rented the holiday home of
Bee Gee Robin Gibb.
Mr Blair was also given an upgrade
on his return trip.
The upgrades would have been worth thousands of pounds. The cost of a first-class return ticket to Miami starts from £3,746 compared with £1,794 for business-class, depending on when the ticket is booked.
Tory leader David Cameron was
given upgrades on two flights last
year. He was upgraded by British
Airways from business to first-class
on a flight to Johannesburg last summer
and again on a BA flight to India
in the autumn.
A British Airways business-class
flight to South Africa at the moment
starts from £3,500 compared with
£5,400 for a first-class flight. Shadow
chancellor George Osborne also
received upgrades from Virgin
Atlantic on a return flight from London
to Washington DC last year.
Other well known politicians to
take benefit include Liberal Democrat
leader Sir Menzies Campbell,
who was upgraded to first-class by
BA on a return flight from the US,
and Scottish National Party leader
Alex Salmond who was upgraded by
Virgin Atlantic.
Jack Straw declares three upgrades
for him and his wife Alice on trips to
South Africa, Boston and Istanbul.
All were courtesy of BA.
His Cabinet colleague Tessa Jowell
was upgraded to World Traveller
Plus by BA when she flew to Florida
last February. The airline also
upgraded the Culture Secretary on a
return flight from a private visit to
India.
Liberal Democrat MP Norman
Baker said the MPs’ “freeloading”
was setting a bad example in view of
the environmental damage caused by
long-haul flights.
“I think it is very unfortunate if
MPs are given incentives to travel,
given the massive environmental
damage caused by flying.
“Some flights may be necessary
but free upgrades and free parking at
airports are not appropriate, given
the environmental impact of aviation,”
he said.
A Virgin Atlantic spokeswoman
said: “Virgin Atlantic upgrade many
people every year, whether they be
teachers, doctors, police officers, holidaymakers, journalists or MPs, as
we want to make sure as many people
as possible see our award-winning onboard
product.”
A spokesman for British Airways
said: “We do not have a policy of
upgrading Members of Parliament
or peers. However, on occasion, it is
sometimes necessary to upgrade customers
for operational reasons.
“Members of Parliament, as farepaying
passengers, may be the recipients
of these upgrades on these
occasions, as are many other customers.”
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