Sorry to hear that, Straitman.
The way I see it though, is if I'm paying out for a QC membership, then why not go and use the facilities there / get more status ? Which translates to me flying OW / QF when I can. I need that QC for business, (see my other post today re: city guides) to perform properly and at my best.
If I was flying my execs anywhere, I would want them to arrive in the best shape possible, to be able to do business. I see it that, if you tell someone to do a job, at least give them the tools with which they can do the job properly. Nothing annoys me more than in the past, when I rocked up a few hundred US$ on expenses out of my own pocket on a business trip, just to have to wait to get them reimbursed 2 weeks later. The fact that money was tight for me back then didn't seem to sway anyone's idea that a couple of hundred might just be the difference between keeping up with the rent while I was away, and not.
Somebody please give the guy a corporate AMEX card instead and work it out later, instead of this 'reimbursement' nonsense.
As a good example though, when flying in D/J class, I feel a damn sight more refreshed than I do if people are trying to cut corners on business trips and putting me in economy.
I don't know how others feel, but I'm one of those who, when I come off a long haul economy, or even just a bit of a long DOM leg, I feel physically ill, like I want to throw up. The inflight meal often doesn't get eaten, because I feel like death warmed up.
When I fly D/J, I feel so much better - I don't know why, or if it's the mere fact that I can sleep on the plane, or just kick back and relax, but in economy, I feel awful when I come off the plane. I flew SIN-PER-ADL recently in economy and felt awful by the time I'd gotten into PER. This kind of thing should NOT happen, because I'm not one for getting travelsick.