Many thanks for your prompt - and reassuring ! - response c-w-s

Like many others, for me the points issue is in fact only one half of the usual two-fold concern ; I think I would struggle to have my baggage (and no, I really won't be able to survive on hbo, given the total duration of my trip) short-checked, and as such I will end up having to fly the final sector anyway - and also book a return positioning flight too of course.

But hardly a great hardship in the overall scheme of things, albeit somewhat tiresome.......