Thanks for the replies. I may well end up booking everyone on the connection, but it involves a long layover and is much less convenient. I also had considered putting a couple of people in coach, but obviously I’d prefer not to, especially since I’ve already used miles for business class tickets.

I guess what annoys me is that, in both of these situations, CO loses revenue, either by selling some coach tickets instead of business to my original airline, or by losing our party entirely. It’s just ironic that so many people today complain the airlines are being run by nitpicking accountant types, and here I would love to talk to just such a bean-counter and explain why CO would make far more revenue by releasing these seats, and I can’t find anybody to discuss this with.