In short:

Frontbencher Murray Watt says Qantas has not been given a soft treatment in return for flight perks.

Anthony Albanese reportedly requested free upgrades directly from Qantas boss Alan Joyce, among several others he was offered.

A Labor frontbencher says the government hasn't gone easy on Qantas just because ministers, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, have received free upgrades and other perks from the airline.

Mr Albanese reportedly made direct calls to former Qantas boss Alan Joyce to request free upgrades on his flights, according to Nine newspapers, as well as receiving nearly two dozen more upgrades including while he was the federal transport minister.

Those flights were all declared, and it is commonplace for Qantas to offer perks to politicians through its Chairman's Lounge program — both the Liberal and Greens leaders Peter Dutton and Adam Bandt have also previously received flight upgrades from economy to business class.

The prime minister has also defended his request for his son Nathan to be included in the Chairman's Lounge program, saying his son was his "plus one" after the end of his marriage.

Mr Dutton said it was "a bit strange" Mr Albanese reportedly contacted the Qantas boss to request upgrades, and said he had never done so.

"I presume he is going to answer questions about that," he said.

"There are strange arrangements when you can pick the phone up to the CEO and ask as a transport minister for an upgrade.

"I am not aware of anyone else having done that."

Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce, also a former transport minister, says using a direct line to Alan Joyce to request upgrades for personal trips crossed a line.

"There's a difference when you solicit it … that's the one that doesn't pass the pub test," Mr Joyce said.

Author doubles down on PM's upgrades

The allegations about Mr Albanese's requests for free flights first came to light in excerpts from Joe Aston's book The Chairman's Lounge.

Aston described the relationship between the prime minister and Qantas as "cosy" and "co-morbid" during an interview with 7.30.

Mr Albanese defended the upgrades by saying he declared them.

The PM was transport minister in both the Rudd and Gillard governments between 2007 and 2013.

Asked if he thought Mr Albanese's defence of declaring the upgrades was enough, Aston indicated he did not.

"I don't think it's appropriate behaviour, whether it's declared or not," Aston told 7.30.

"To solicit upgrades when you are on private travel and you are the minister for transport regulating the airline industry, to approach the CEO of the national airline to ask to have your economy ticket magically turned into a pointy-end ticket, it's just inappropriate conduct, whether it's declared or not.

"If Anthony Albanese had been financial services minister and had called the CEO of a bank and said 'would you please put $50,000 in my bank account and then disclose it on the pecuniary interest register?' I certainly don't think anyone would be sitting around saying 'he declared it, that's fine'."

Minister says Qantas has not had an easy ride despite perks

Frontbencher Murray Watt said Nine's claims Mr Albanese had made requests to be upgraded were "unsourced rumours".

"I encourage people to look at Anthony Albanese's record as the transport minister, leader of the opposition and prime minister when it comes to Qantas, where he hasn't played favourites," Senator Watt said.

"When he was the transport minister more than a decade ago, when Qantas grounded their fleet and went after unions, Anthony Albanese took Qantas on about that.

"In opposition, when Qantas illegally sacked their workforce despite receiving nearly a billion dollars in JobKeeper, Anthony Albanese and Labor took Qantas on about that … we've brought in Same Job, Same Pay laws, which have already helped Qantas labour hire workers get pay rises of more than $30,000 in some cases."

Albanese defends free Qantas upgrades

 

Photo shows Alan Joyce touches Anthony Albanese as they sit together at an unveiling in a Qantas facility. Adam Goodes is also pictured

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defends receiving dozens of free Qantas upgrades and also his relationship with former Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce.

The government faced claims it had been influenced by Qantas when it made a controversial decision to reject an application by Qatar Airways to expand its services in Australia, even though the expanded service would have brought down then sky-high air fares.

Virgin boss Jane Hrdlicka said she had heard from Transport Minister Catherine King that the allied company's application was progressing well, but appeared to stall after several meetings between ministers and Qantas.

The prime minister has denied he was lobbied by Qantas to reject Qatar Airways' application.