thanks for the comments

I read about FFs in OW yesterday for a couple hours as I want to have a plan to begin 2018

this Emerald status is quite handy and I want to use it more often, EK will lose out and my travel to Dubai will be greatly reduced (been doing it for 12 years)

people in OZ did not even have anything good to say about QF but I did consider it, Cathay could make sense but like many things Chinese (HKese) it is overly complicated and BA was possible but the airports in London would scare me off that plan and AA is out

so it seems the way forward is with Qatar who I like and think will continue to offer value for $$$ paid in 2018