Previously you could book it nrt-gru and it did not count as touching NA but the problem was always finding D and A class availability ( i had it wait listed but choose a different RTW route and saved myself the worry about gettin D class availability, L seemed easy enough but who really wants to fly via america and for 24 hours in economy. Now it counts as going to NA, which really does not effect that many people as who wants to fly for 24 hours.