I'm sorry - but no lounge access for DM flying on cheapo fares? Seriously? And does it just stop at lounge access? What about check-in? Priority baggage? Boarding?
If I consider how much me and my partner (also DM) spend with CX - we are hitting the 2 million HKD mark a year. Our business travel is all in J, at least 4 JFKs for me and about 8 for him. Not to mention the AUS/NZ flights plus all the asia flights. If we want to buy a cheapo ticket to BKK one weekend for 800 HKD there is no way I shouldn't get lounge access - plus all the other benefits. It doesn't make sense, I don't think CX will do it and if they did I would leave in a heart beat. For personal trips it's really a mix of how much cash we have that month, how far we are going and if we have booked in advance. So sometimes its cheapo, sometimes V, sometimes E and sometimes I/D/C. It just depends.
We both have a choice to fly CX for work and personally - it's not a rule that we have to and will gladly move if my lounge access is taken away because I buy a cheap ticket to BKK one weekend and get no benefits. Ridiculous.