There's something to be said about 'sticky rules'. Airline reps don't like passengers to wave sets of rules in front of them especially since they DO have access to the same set of rules in their CRS. It all depends on how each person interprets the rules. One airline can interpret differently from another and it all depends on who is issuing or reissuing your ticket.

Although each airline has their own sets of rules on any RTW. They are not worded the same.. thus, what you have ie AA's set of rules might be worded slightly different from CX's. You would then have to see what CX's set of rules is.. and interpret from THAT set of rules.