Parliamentary Secretary Chris Bonett has denied reports that he requested preferential treatment on a December Air Malta flight to London Gatwick.

According to independent candidate Arnold Cassola, on December 7, passengers aboard KM116 were asked to give up seats they had paid for in advance and instead sit in different sections of the economy class.

While boarding the plane, Air Malta check-in officials informed them their original seats had been reassigned to Bonett and his family, Cassola claimed.

As a result of the "ensuing commotion", the flight was delayed by 30 minutes, he said.

Cassola filed a complaint with the office of the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life, asking them to look into the matter. 

He also referred to a The Shift article that carried similar information about the incident. 

However, in a Facebook post on Thursday, Bonett said he had pre-paid to have his family sitting next to each other.

“I paid from before, as do several other Air Malta clients, so that my family, including two young children, can have seats next to each other.

"Contrary to allegations, I did not ask for, expect, nor received preferential treatment," he said.

The parliamentary secretary said this was the latest in a series of attacks on him.