As someone who works for one of the Worlds largest IT Co's (and who has also done his fare share a of flying in the back of HMFC's finest, including a few runs on the SA schedule
), I can assure you that the days of higher-class flying are well and truly gone in the Commercial World, except for very senior people and in "special" cases where I work:
- we used to fly Business Class short-haul as standard, not any more (in fact, not for several years now)
- even when we could still fly Business Class short-haul, you couldn't long- haul (unless it was a short trip, eg, UK to West Coast US for less than 3 days, and you need proper rest)
- there is in general a Co. policy of finding the cheapest available fare. My last European trip a Month ago was with Ryanair!
Having said all that the CEO and Exec. Council still have 2 Gulfstream 5's to carry them wherever needed. But they of course are indispensible business tools!