Thanks everyone. This is all really useful stuff. Very impressed with FT, BTW....would you believe the last time I tried to get an answer I stupidly went to google groups.

Well, you have convinced me to try AY, and to maybe take 24 hours in Bangkok.

Have taken Lufthansa on this route, and have not been too impressed. CX and BA obviously preferred, but rarely within budget.

If Swiss had sorted out the OneWorld membership by now, that would have been my preferred option, but from reading some of the threads, it sounds like that's not going to happen for some time now - if ever.

cheers