Anecdote that i'd like to share:

Recently ticketed two Oneworld Explorer tickets with Cathay. Started on a chat in English (stupid on my part, had to HUACA with manila twice as the first two agents didnt know what a oneworld explorer ticket was). Got to the third person.. shockingly he knew what he was doing and built an itinerary based on all the sectors i needed (and i had 13 of them). Said ticketing would call me back to price it out and continue, which i was fine with.

An hour later, I get a call back from an agent based in Hong Kong. It was as if a unicorn called. She knew everything about Oneworld explorer tickets , rules and regulations off the top of her head and even gave me tips on how to maximize the ticket to its full potential. it wasn't formal as well and it was like talking to a friend who was helping you out to book a ticket and letting you in on the nuances. Got the ticket properly done up and all sorted out without any resistance or hesitation from the agent. So my point is, there are definitely a few people in their office who know what they're doing.... just hope that the HK office answers !