As the prime minister denies he ever contacted a former Qantas boss for flight upgrades, a key critic has launched a probe into her own travel arrangements.

A political storm has emerged after details in a new book claimed Anthony Albanese received 22 upgrades from economy from Qantas and would liaise personally with the airline’s ex-chief executive Alan Joyce for the perks.

Mr Albanese has rejected the allegations, releasing a statement where he ruled out contacting Mr Joyce for the upgrades.

“The prime minister did not ever call Alan Joyce seeking an upgrade,” a spokesman for Mr Albanese said.

“All travel has been appropriately declared and is a matter of public record.”

Opposition transport spokeswoman Bridget McKenzie says she’s launching an investigation into her own flight upgrades.

Reports have emerged that Senator McKenzie, one of the most vocal critics of the prime minister’s flight arrangements, received an upgrade in 2024 and did not disclose it.

Senator McKenzie said she had gone through her own travel records from 2011 onwards.

“In my public comments I said to the best of my knowledge all flights had been appropriately declared and that I had not personally solicited an upgrade. However, I try not to hold others to a standard to which I would not hold myself,” she said in a statement.

“Consequently, yesterday I wrote to the three major domestic airlines, Qantas, Virgin and the administrators for Regional Express, seeking their assistance to provide me with a full history of upgrades and flights I may have been in receipt of.”

The coalition senator said she would make changes to her parliamentary declarations if there were any inconsistencies.

Government ministers have continued to defend the prime minister following the flight furore.

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said Mr Albanese had declared his travel arrangements in line with the rules for MPs and senators.

“The PM’s job every day is about focusing on cost of living. I work with him very closely, that’s the job that he’s focused on,” she told ABC Radio on Thursday.

“He’s now answered some further questions about arrangements of flights that occurred sometimes up to over a decade ago.

“Hopefully, the fascination on this subject will move on, because the real issues facing everybody in Australia is around cost of living.”

Senator Gallagher said a broader inquiry into travel arrangements of federal politicians would not be needed, given rules were already in place for declarations.

This post was originally published on Michael West.