Thanks SanDiego1K, it was worth a try anyway. Had it worked, it would have made a very cost effective way of getting to SthAmerica.

Of course, SthAmerica - Asia can go via SWP as well (LA SCL-SYD then the usual suspects from SYD to BKK, SIN, HKG, NRT etc). Too bad there's nothing direct - and I suspect there never will be.