Do international law firms generally pay for flights in business?

[ruggedreindeer]

I am a newly qualified (+2) lawyer working at one of the big name city firms, that I'd rather not name.

Recently, in the space of a week I had to be in London, then New York and then Tokyo. Obviously they've paid for hotels and flights, but the flights were in economy class. That's absolutely fine for going on holiday or for short haul. It's just that week I'd racked up 22/23 hours of flying time, bloody knackered with the amount of work, and struggled with the time differences. Then to be put on flights that I can't manage to sleep in (I'm 6ft) due to cramp space.

I was just wondering, is my firm being particularly stingy putting me in economy, or is this something all firms do other than for the partners etc?

Very senior in a law firm. Economy unless over 5 hours. When I transferred to the Sydney office as I was given 2 days recovery it was economy the whole way.
In any event unless you are flying transat, Far East or Africa you are going to get a piddling little plane where business means dinner on a china plate and some bubbles and no lie flat so it's pointless.

Accounting firm - anything over four hours is business, regardless of level.