Originally Posted by
LHR/MEL/Europe FF
It's still a personal choice. You can remain within company policy but choose to upgrade (miles, cash, whatever), or if you can't afford that, find a job that suits your needs.
I wouldn't take a job involving frequent travel if it meant I was going to be sitting on a plane miserable for hours at a time (and at 6'3 that's anything over a couple hours these days with seats being as tight as they are).
Travelling with work colleagues (and I include bosses in that) you can easily explain your upgrade if asked. It becomes a little more difficult if you are travelling with clients... who may be paying your fare. That may trigger some questions (via your boss or contract manager) that can't be explained at the time (a client isn't going to ask you on the spot why you are flying business if their contract with your company only allows for economy).
You can sure do whatever you like with your flight. However, what your colleagues will think is totally a different thing. I personally doesn't think it is a good thing to make your colleagues felt you had a better life than them (providing normally colleagues receive similar pay).
There are also several ways to guest 2 colleagues at HKG with OWS status, as most of us suggested already, however I don't suggest to push it too hard. A lot of people doesn't even know what available in the lounge. I might even chose to arrive airport a little late (together) in your case and forget about the whole lounge thing, since you're travelling with a boss. Let the boss decide what you guys supposed to do, maybe the boss already had an idea, i.e. take all of you to dining area.