The tool shows a direct IAH-JFK every day, a single flight operating as AA210. I have successfully generated and validated a oneworld Explorer with this flight (that also shows in the online timetable tool). Now AA tells me that flight doesn't exist. Sure enough, I go to aa.com and there are no direct services on my day (31 July) and presumably every other day that the tool shows there is indeed a direct service.

So the Explorer trip I've spent months piecing together, trying to stay within the increasingly convoluted and complex rules and what do I ultimately fall foul of? Not the 'only one backtrack between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan if originating in Uzbekistan and purchasing only a xONE4 or higher for travel that takes no more than one week to complete' rule or the rule that only allows you to use airlines beginning with A-K. No. It's the rule where you have to chose flights that actually operate, rather than ones that the tool allows you to select, even though they don't even exist.

How on earth can someone ever hope to generate even the most simplest of round the world itineraries if the tool displays phantom flights?

I now have to consider a whole other sector - one I don't have - in order to make the itinerary work. I'm so angry.