No, but realistically to do something like the 180 degree thing is really not going to work. These rules don't exist in a vacuum. They exist in a world where people who do it every single day still royally screw them up on a consistent basis. All airlines do, though I am sure each who has done more than one has a horror story about a specific airline or two. To ask an agent to try and figure out the longitudes of flights is a non-option. Most probably don't even know what a longitude is or how they work considering that I doubt most people who don't have a specific reason probably don't know what they are. Additionally, these fares have two components. A seller *and* a buyer. Is Joe Blow who wants to go to a few countries as a retirement trip going to try to decypher longitudes? No, and an airline is stupid if they ask them to. What a way to piss off a client and have them go to an easier system. I can see BA especially laying down the law and telling AA to deal with things in a different manner. Finally, actual flight info has little bearing on how things will be considered for the purpose of the rules. The rules will be modified to reflect realistic market changes, of which I see few if any, and according to what is going to be easiest to implement. They have a choice of either overhauling the system and making it unduly complicated or just making a logical, well thought out modification or two that create as few problems as possible.

Nostradarren's predictions. One option will happen. 1) a rule modification will be introduced that states that nonstop flights between the US and India are considered "trans-pacific" for the purposes of the fare. or 2) a rule modification will be introduced that states that nonstop flights between the US and Asia are considered "trans-pacific" for the purposes of the fare.

I expect the former for two reasons. First, Oneworld tends to be conservative with changes and makes them as they arise. It takes care of the immediate and all reasonably foreseeable issues (like LAX-BOM or NYC-BOM). Second, if MH joins Oneworld (as has been speculated for a while) then they are not locked into the rule for MH's EWR-ARN-KUL flight and can charge for three continents for that one flight. If TG joins (as has also been speculated though less likely, imo) then the rule can be changed to incorporate the NYC-BKK flight. I believe AA has the rights NYC-BKK but I can't frankly see them being used any time soon so the only way I see it coming up is if TG joins.