Yes indeed, and on my next trip to South Africa I am doing just that - and accepting the dog leg journey rather than a direct.
Companies do have the advantage of being able to negotiate deals but my days of biz travel are over and every journey is paid for! So, when planning long haul, I consider who I'm travelling with and what they can afford, elapsed time, facilities, the carrier, the aircraft type, the seat - the lot.
I recall a discussion I had many years ago when in VS Upper to JFK when I worked for an American company. My neighbour said, "The company allows biz class on certain journeys but if the employee opts for Y - then they and the company split the difference 50/50 so they both benefit." That was before PE started but it sounded like a great idea.
Last edited by PAXboy; 4th Jul 2016 at 21:02.