Fair enough.....although grossly misleading.

Based on the Oneworld offer and their own Explorer Rules the consumer has a legitimate expectation that he will be treated in a particular manner which, at the end of the day, turns out to be the exact opposite due to a set of rules and regulations that hide in the murky waters to be used by airlines when it suits them.

So why publish fare rules if the alliance members have absolutely no intention of being bound them.

I suspect there may be a good case to argue, legally, that Oneworld has used their own rules (and advertising) to induce people to enter into specific contracts on specific terms - which the airline members have absolutely no intention of honouring as they regard their own rules as being subsidiary to IATA regulations.