Thanks for the above replies.

Let me make the itinerary a bit clearer -
(/=surface) ([]=transit)
per-syd-chc/akl-[hkg]-hel-lkl-hel-osl-arn/hel-jfk-dfw-anc-dfw-jfk-sjo-jfk-lim/lpb-scl-puq-scl-gig-[jfk]-hkg-dps-sin-bkk-per

So it looks like the itinerary goes area 3-2-1-1-3-3. Is it backtracking because the itinerary skips over Asia from SouthWest Pacific to Europe and then returns to Asia on the way back from South America. Or is it just another QANTAS hardball at the One World
desk who doesn't have a firm grasp of the rules.

Also, the new segment rule: is this the total of both intra and inter continental flights, or just the intracontinental segments?