Our circling minima (747) are 1000' ceiling and 3 mi visibility, unless published mins are higher.
Yes, some companies do this...
Circling approaches in big airplanes in marginal weather are NOT a good idea. We don't practice them, and bad weather is not a place for practice...
...for the above reason.
However, other airline companies, knowing full well that sometimes circling is necessary,
train their pilots
properly and accordingly have a very good ability at actually circling at the charted specified minimums.
The former is called the 'dumbing down' of airmanship whereas the latter is using the full cabalities and expertise of your properly trained crew, to the very best advantage.