Much of the UK APD issue could be solved by making the first segment a short-haul European one.

For instance, LHR-FCO-NRT-SIN-NRT-SIN-HKG-JFK-YVR-DFW-ANC-DFW-SJU-ORD-AMM-MCT-LHR* clocks in at around 52,500 miles and earns (if my math is correct and there's no guarantee on that) around 79K AA EQP (so within striking distance of 100K for EXP) or around 1720 BA TPs or 1700 QF SCs.

For people (like N. Americans and Europeans) who find it much easier to get to London than to, say, Cape Town, it might represent pretty decent savings and great convenience.

*(Of course longer runs are possible, e.g. HKG-LAX-SJU-DFW-ANC... but at the expense of lots of hours in AA 757 F/J seats.)