Cassola says pre-booked seats cancelled to make way for Parliamentary Secretary's family, Bonett denies wrongdoing

Independent candidate Arnold Cassola said that people who had pre-booked seats on an Air Malta flight were moved to new seating to make way for the family of Parliamentary Secretary Chris Bonett.

Cassola has written to the “future” Standards Commissioner to investigate the case.

He said that on 7 December a number of passengers had paid extra to choose their seats on an Air Malta flight to Gatwick, KM 116.

As they were embarking, Air Malta check-in staff informed these passengers that they had to forfeit their seats to make way for Bonett and his family who were on their way to a holiday in London.

Cassola said that a commotion ensued until the passengers involved were forced to vacate their pre-booked seats, with the result that the flight left 30 minutes late.

Cassola asked the commissioner to investigate, asking why the Parliamentary Secretary and his family were permitted to take seats that had previously been booked by others, at a cost.

In a Facebook post, Bonett said that attacks against him have come from all quarters, and now he is also being accused of wrongdoing on a flight for a holiday with his family.

He said he had paid beforehand, as others do, to have his family seated near each other.

He said he had not asked for any preferential treatment, and has receipts for what he paid for.

He said he looked forward to explaining that what Cassola said was “another lie”.

This is the second complaint filed by Cassola against Bonett.

In December, he had asked the “future” standards commissioner to investigate Parliamentary Secretary Chris Bonett after a news report said that he had gone to Sicily on holiday with his family using his ministerial car.

The parliamentary secretary denies any wrongdoing.